Ahava
by mrtango
Summary: One-shot collection/100 Themes. Future fics. Tiva, with smidgens of McAbby, and of course, Papa!Gibbs.
1. Birth

_**Hello guys!**_

_**So, I've had these running around my head for a while, and I need a one-shot collection for NCIS. **_

_**God I love Tony DiNozzo. And I love Ziva. Which means love squared for Tiva. **_

_**And the kids they should have.**_

_**GET A SHIFT ON.**_

_**Just saying.**_

_**Anyway, there is no particular order. Don't expect these in chronological order, because I type as it comes. I'll always state children's ages at the start of the story to help you guys out, rather than just leave you out in the wilderness that is my happy little imagination.**_

_**Most of these will be Tiva centric, but I also have lots of happy love for McAbby, and Papa!Gibbs/Grandpa!Gibbs.**_

_**Did I mention I love NCIS? :3**_

_**Oh, and PS. Ahava means 'love' in Hebrew.**_

" Come on Zi, you're nearly there!"

" Do you think your incessant babbling is making this any easier?"

" Sorry, I'm trying to help!"

" You know what would help? Next time you suggest we have a baby, YOU do the pushing!"

Tony visibly paled from his perch at the side of his wife's bed, the hand gripping his giving an ever so slightly vicious squeeze.

" You know I would if I could..."

" Liar. You'd chicken out after the first-AH!"

" Very good, Mrs DiNozzo, one final push!"

" Mrs DiNozzo. It still sounds so good..."

" I swear to God, Tony..."

" I'm only joking! I-"

Whatever witty retort Tony had for his wife was cut off, first by Ziva, then by a second, loud wail from the squirming bundle in the doctor's arms. Tony froze, eyes locked on said doctor.

" Congratulations! It's a little boy."

Ziva gave a small smile, weary and sweat ridden, whilst Tony broke into a wide grin, as the doctor performed his checks and handed the now swathed baby to his mother. She cooed down at him, before gasping in horror. Tony's heart skipped several beats, instantly panicking.

" What's wrong with him? Ziva, what's happened? What is it?"

She looked up at him, her expression half way between weary and grim acceptance.

" He looks exactly like you.

Several rather nervous guests in the waiting room jumped a good foot off the ground as a loud whoop echoed from inside the delivery room, before a baby's wailing joined it. From behind his newspaper, Gibbs gave a soft sigh, eyes never leaving the page.

" Lock up your daughters, gentlemen."


	2. Who?

**All reviews are majorly loved! :D**

Ziva DiNozzo did not believe in snooping.

She'd spent her whole life in espionage and spying, and felt it wrong to transfer that practice to her home life.

So it was purely by coincidence and accident that she discovered _it_.

With a shriek of '_ANTHONY DINOZZO!"_ and a loud crash as something hit the floor, two pairs of blue eyes were drawn away from the football game they were so intently watching, to the staircase in the hallway.

" Oh God."

" What did you do this time?"

" What did I do? I bet it was you."

" Me? I got it last night, it has to be your turn."

" Nu-uh! I'm clean on this one. C'mon, what'd you do? Leave the lid up?"

" Not after last time! Did you spill toothpaste?"

" No way. Leave your boxers on the floor?"

" Me? That's usually you that does that."

" Not this time!"

The debate was cut short as Ziva appeared in the doorway, _it_ swinging between her fingers.

" I want answers."

" You want answers?"

" I want the truth!"

" You can't handle the truth!"

" Ah, see what you did there!"

" How could I not? Excellent quote."

" A Few Good Men."

" Jack Nicholson."

" Brilliant film."

" ENOUGH."

Both males winced as Ziva cut in yet again, eyeing them both with suspicion and anger.

" I want an explanation as to _why_ this is in my house, and now."

" Oh."

The smaller of the two figures pushed himself off of the sofa, picking up his empty glass.

" Clearly it's Dad you want. I'm going to get more soda. I am, after all, 7, and that sort of thing is just far too beyond me..."

" Oi! Junior! You're leaving me? What about Rule 1? Never screw over your partner!"

" Tony!"

Tony winced yet again, managing to glance at his furious wife.

" Well?"

" Well, I'll tell you now it definitely wasn't me!"

Ziva rolled her eyes, tossing the offending magazine down, and storming over to the cowering man on the sofa.

" You expect to believe that? Who was it then? The baby?"

" I thought he was more Playschool than Playboy."

" Tony, I do not like being lied to."

" Ziva, I swear! Why would I buy something like that for myself when I have you?"

" And just WHAT is that meant to mean!"

" It was a compliment!"

In amongst the yelling, the younger DiNozzo returned from the kitchen, slipped past his arguing parents, picked up the now discarded magazine and made a beeline for his bedroom. As he crossed the games room at the top of the stairs, his sister eyed him with suspicion over the top of her dolls house.

" You got Daddy in trouble?"

" Dad got himself into trouble."

" Aren't you going to tell the truth?"

" Remember what Grandpa Gibbs said."

The girl cocked her head as Anthony strolled past her into his bedroom, a wry grin spread across his face.

" When the job is done, walk away."

**Thank you so much for reading! It means the world to me!**

**So, a little about the kiddies.**

**First off, Anthony Jethro DiNozzo. One guess where the name came from, of course. 7 in this story.**

**The middle child, Abigail Tali DiNozzo. Abigail is a Hebrew name, meaning 'father's joy', something I felt appropriate to Dada!Tony. Not to mention honouring our favourite Caf-Pow addict. Tali, after Ziva's deceased little sister. 5 in this story.**

**And the baby. Timotheos Eli DiNozzo. 'Timotheos' comes from a biblical name attributed to both Greek and Hebrew roots, but is more commonly known today as the name 'Timothy' ;) So again, two guesses where the name came from. Eli, because I do honestly believe that after Season 8, Ziva and her father have somewhat reconciled, enough to warrant a middle name. And I like it. 2 in this story.**


	3. Spirit

_**Spirit**_

" So the hippo is going to eat Barbie, see? Because she's all alone and helpless..."

Tony leant over, more interested in this game than most of the paperwork he was assigned.

" But then her hero comes to save her!"

He swept Ken in, gently snatching the rather wild looking Barbie doll from his daughter's chubby hands and nestling them gently together. The infant protested, so much so that Tony had to hand back his rescued doll, and watch as his daughter replayed the scene. Abigail paused for a moment, before swiping both the hippo, Ken and her father's knee with several rather vicious whacks, sending both toys flying and Tony howling with pain.

" Abi! That's not nice! Why would Barbie do that? Ken's got to rescue her!"

The toddler giggled, chubby cheeks reddening with laughter, and her blue eyes shining devilishly.

" 's Mama!"

Tony felt something inside of him die, as his wife shot a rather proud look at the little girl.


	4. Children

_**Assignment Part 1**_

" So are we gonna get to go on a ship?"

" No."

" Why not? You said it was a Navy Yard!"

" That's what it's called."

" And the Navy has ships. So why can't we go-"

" I said no, Tony."

" But Daaaaaddy."

Tony muttered several expletives under his breath, cursing the mid morning traffic. Ziva had been called out on an assignment, with him left to look after their two bundles of joys.

" No. Look, I need to drop off this paper work to Gibbs, okay? That's all. In and out."

" Not even saying 'Hi' to Grandpa Gibbs?"

" Okay, a 'Hi' to Grandpa Gibbs."

" And McGeek?"

" Possibly McGeek."

" And Ducky? Pleeeease, I want to go and see Ducky!"

The elder DiNozzo sighed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of the car, ignoring the temptation to tape his son's mouth shut. The kid never shut up. Ziva had offhandedly remarked that it was a trait he inherited from Tony, but he never recalled being _this_ annoying. Checking in the rear view mirror, he met his daughter's eyes from her infant seat, observing everything that happened in the front. She was far too like Ziva. A quiet, contemplative child, with possibly the brightest smile, as well as her father's sharp eyes, with Ziva's general looks. Tony, on the other hand, had taken everything from his father, from the blue eyes to the cheeky grin, and the elder Tony wondered if Ziva's genes had even stood a chance. Then again, Abi was proof that perhaps they had just given in that one time. The next child, he prayed hopefully, would not end up with the same questioning eyes as his wife. Two sets in the house were bad enough. Whilst Tony mused, his son continued to babble.

" Ducky said he saw a yellow submarine once. Does the Navy have yellow submarines?"

Abi chose that moment to join in.

" Like the song?"

"Yeah! We all live in a yellow submarine!"

" Didn't like the colour so we changed it to green!"

" Guys..."

" Shhh, Daddy, we're only halfway through! Contin'oo Tony."

" The green wore off so now it's all red!"

Tony braced himself as both of his children took a deep breath and belted the final line.

" RED ATTRACTED SHARKS SO NOW WE'RE ALL DEAD!"

They both ended up in fits of giggles, with Tony slowing gnawing his teeth to the root as the traffic edged forward. The singing continued, through the traffic, through the parking lot, in the elevator, right up until they were in the bullpen. Tony nearly cried when Gibbs joined in whole heartedly for one last verse, with a wry smile at his agent, before being pounced upon by the smaller members of the DiNozzo clan, with cries of 'GRANDPA!'. Gibbs fussed them both, allowing Abi to occupy his lap, and mussing Tony's hair, before looking back to their weary father.

" Having fun, DiNozzo?"

Tony grit his teeth, smiling through them at his boss, like a lion about to pounce.

" Oh yes. Plenty. Where's my darling wife?"

" Been sent to Miami on a lead. Probably sunning herself on a beach watching for our possible hitman, who works on the side as a hotdog vendor."

Tony stared, dumbstruck.

" Miami."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, a smirk edging its way onto his features.

" Miami, DiNozzo."

" Aw, that's great. Just fu-"

Abigail let out a loud, dramatic gasp, pointing one chubby finger at her father with an accusatory stare.

" YOU SWORED."

Tony paled as the entire office turned to stare, Gibbs looking remarkably amused as both Tony and Abigail wore identical expressions of disbelief, Abi managing to perfect the furious Ziva look.

" IM TELLING MAMA!"

" No, you're not, Junior, because I didn't swear."

" You were going to but Abi stopped you!"

" BAD Daddy!"

" Alright, alright! I'm sorry for ALMOST swearing!"

" You're still naughty Daddy!"

Tony gave in with a sigh, resigned to the fact that he would be tattled on the moment Ziva walked through the door. That was mean an indefinite period of cold looks for swearing in front of the children, something his wife took with no leeway. Little brats.

Gibbs was grinning, listening to Tony Junior's tales of the car journey here, and his desire to see a yellow submarine. Before another rendition of the song could begin, Tony's cunning mind hatched a plan. A plan to repay his boss for supporting his children in their campaign to see him murdered by Ziva.

" Hey kids. How about a sleepover with Grandpa Gibbs, hmm?"

The shrill shriek of pure joy from both children echoed around the office, as Gibbs took in what had just been said.

" Woah, hold on a minute..."

He looked down to two expectant faces, and up to one grinning agent. With a loud sigh, any plans of peaceful sanding disappeared from his mind.


	5. Yellow

_**Assignment Part 1**_

" So are we gonna get to go on a ship?"

" No."

" Why not? You said it was a Navy Yard!"

" That's what it's called."

" And the Navy has ships. So why can't we go-"

" I said no, Tony."

" But Daaaaaddy."

Tony muttered several expletives under his breath, cursing the mid morning traffic. Ziva had been called out on an assignment, with him left to look after their two bundles of joys.

" No. Look, I need to drop off this paper work to Gibbs, okay? That's all. In and out."

" Not even saying 'Hi' to Grandpa Gibbs?"

" Okay, a 'Hi' to Grandpa Gibbs."

" And McGeek?"

" Possibly McGeek."

" And Ducky? Pleeeease, I want to go and see Ducky!"

The elder DiNozzo sighed, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel of the car, ignoring the temptation to tape his son's mouth shut. The kid never shut up. Ziva had offhandedly remarked that it was a trait he inherited from Tony, but he never recalled being _this_ annoying. Checking in the rear view mirror, he met his daughter's eyes from her infant seat, observing everything that happened in the front. She was far too like Ziva. A quiet, contemplative child, with possibly the brightest smile, as well as her mother's beautiful eyes, and general looks. Tony, on the other hand, had taken everything from his father, from the blue eyes to the cheeky grin, and the elder Tony wondered if Ziva's genes had even stood a chance. Then again, Abi was proof that perhaps they had just given in that one time. The next child, he prayed hopefully, would not end up with the same questioning eyes as his wife. Two sets in the house were bad enough. Whilst Tony mused, his son continued to babble.

" Ducky said he saw a yellow submarine once. Does the Navy have yellow submarines?"

Abi chose that moment to join in.

" Like the song?"

"Yeah! We all live in a yellow submarine!"

" Didn't like the colour so we changed it to green!"

" Guys..."

" Shhh, Daddy, we're only halfway through! Contin'oo Tony."

" The green wore off so now it's all red!"

Tony braced himself as both of his children took a deep breath and belted the final line.

" RED ATTRACTED SHARKS SO NOW WE'RE ALL DEAD!"

They both ended up in fits of giggles, with Tony slowing gnawing his teeth to the root as the traffic edged forward. The singing continued, through the traffic, through the parking lot, in the elevator, right up until they were in the bullpen. Tony nearly cried when Gibbs joined in whole heartedly for one last verse, with a wry smile at his agent, before being pounced upon by the smaller members of the DiNozzo clan, with cries of 'GRANDPA!'. Gibbs fussed them both, allowing Abi to occupy his lap, and mussing Tony's hair, before looking back to their weary father.

" Having fun, DiNozzo?"

Tony grit his teeth, smiling through them at his boss, like a lion about to pounce.

" Oh yes. Plenty. Where's my darling wife?"

" Been sent to Miami on a lead. Probably sunning herself on a beach watching for our possible hitman, who works on the side as a hotdog vendor."

Tony stared, dumbstruck.

" Miami."

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, a smirk edging its way onto his features.

" Miami, DiNozzo."

" Aw, that's great. Just fu-"

Abigail let out a loud, dramatic gasp, pointing one chubby finger at her father with an accusatory stare.

" YOU SWORED."

Tony paled as the entire office turned to stare, Gibbs looking remarkably amused as both Tony and Abigail wore identical expressions of disbelief, Abi managing to perfect the furious Ziva look.

" IM TELLING MAMA!"

" No, you're not, Junior, because I didn't swear."

" You were going to but Abi stopped you!"

" BAD Daddy!"

" Alright, alright! I'm sorry for ALMOST swearing!"

" You're still naughty Daddy!"

Tony gave in with a sigh, resigned to the fact that he would be tattled on the moment Ziva walked through the door. That was mean an indefinite period of cold looks for swearing in front of the children, something his wife took with no leeway. Little brats.

Gibbs was grinning, listening to Tony Junior's tales of the car journey here, and his desire to see a yellow submarine. Before another rendition of the song could begin, Tony's cunning mind hatched a plan. A plan to repay his boss for supporting his children in their campaign to see him murdered by Ziva.

" Hey kids. How about a sleepover with Grandpa Gibbs, hmm?"

The shrill shriek of pure joy from both children echoed around the office, as Gibbs took in what had just been said.

" Woah, hold on a minute..."

He looked down to two expectant faces, and up to one grinning agent. With a loud sigh, any plans of peaceful sanding disappeared from his mind.


	6. Storm

_**Storm**_

" I love you, you know that?"

Ziva rolled her eyes as her husband slid into bed next to her, his arm almost instantly curling itself around her waist. Outside, the wind howled, and the rumbles of thunder were becoming roars.

" Mhm. And you know that that love is returned twofold?"

She let a giggle slip at the soft scratch of stubble on the nape of her neck as Tony planted a gentle kiss.

" Always."

" Such a charmer."

" I do try."

She laughed again, turning herself to face him in his arms, and laying her forehead gently against his bare chest.

" You know, I've been thinking."

" That's always a dangerous thing."

" You wound me, love."

Ziva leant up and pressed her lips to his, as a way of apology. It was a full minute before either pulled away, and Tony continued.

" I've been thinking. I know we have 3 perfect children..."

He glanced down at his wife, who was watching him with a knowing smile written across her face, dark eyes locked to his.

" But it couldn't hurt to have one more."

Ziva raised an eyebrow, smile still playing across her lips.

" One more?"

" We'll see how it goes. I was thinking one for the moment."

Tony grinned innocently, or as innocently as he could possibly muster.

" And this isn't just a ploy, husband dear?"

" A ploy? Whatever for?"

Ziva let a finger trace the soft dips in his chest, eyes still on his.

" Just for...the practice?"

" You think I'm that awful a person? Though admittedly, I do like the practice..."

There was a laugh from the woman in his arms, a warm, loving laugh, as her fingers traced lower, across his abdomen.

" Why another child then?"

" Because I love you. I love our children. And I think Abi could do with a sister. Or maybe another brother, y'know, to help scare off any potential boyfriends."

" Tony, she's 5."

" 6 in a month."

" Any other reasons?"

Tony shifted, leaning down and kissing her cheek, murmuring softly in her ear.

" Because I think you're beautiful when pregnant."

" Am I not beautiful anyway?"

" Stunning. But simply breathtaking when you're carrying my child..."

Ziva let her fingers wind gently in his hair, her lips finding his again as he pulled himself on top of her, letting his own hands wander as the now near continious lightning lit up the room. Several minutes later, it was beginning to get heated. Tony's lips had found Ziva's neck, and her hands had found the waistband of his boxers, when a small voice rang out.

" Mama?"

The effect was instant. Both parents froze, staring, before clambering away from each other in a flurry of sheets. Ziva flicked on the bedside lamp, illuminating the room, to show both Tony and Abi standing, hand in hand, eyes wide. There was silence between the two parties, before the children burst into giggles.

" Ewwww! You were kissing!"

" Yucky yuck yuck! Mama, you'll get cooties!"

" Mummy and Daddy, sitting in a tree. K I S S I N G."

" First comes love."

" Then comes marriage!"

" Then probably cooties!"

" Don't be silly, Mummy already has cooties! She kisses Daddy too much."

" You need to stop it Mama. You'll die from cooties!"

In amongst the children's chatter, both Tony and Ziva let out a relieved sigh, sharing slightly guilty looks between them, as well as a tinge of red. Tony was the one to cut the children off.

" Is there a reason you two are out of your beds? Interrupting...cuddle time?"

" You weren't cuddling, you were snogging!"

Both children burst into giggles again, as even Ziva couldn't keep a straight face. A loud burst of thunder shook the house, causing an abrupt end to the laughter, as Abi whimpered, and Tony covered his ears.

" Don't like it, Mama."

Ziva glanced at her husband, and gave a defeated sigh. Tony's dream of a fourth child would have to wait. These ones came first. With a soft smile, she lifted the duvet, letting the two whimpering children into the bed, as a wail came over the baby monitor. Tony laughed.

" It just not fun without everybody, is it?'

He left Ziva to settle the two eldest, and made his way through to the nursery, where a tearful Timmy sat in his crib, brown eyes wide with fear, instantly pulling himself up and raising his arms for Tony at the sight of him.

" Hey little man! You scared too, huh?"

Timmy snuffled, burrowing his head into Tony's neck, and wrapping his chubby arms around his father. Tony soothed him gently, a hand running through the downy brown curls on his son's head.

" C'mon, it's okay. Daddy's got you. Just a bit of thunder, huh?"

" No like. Sca'wy."

Tony sighed, making his way back to the master bedroom, murmuring gently to the trembling toddler. Ziva had both Tony and Abi curled up with her, and the elder Tony soon joined them with the baby, placing him between his siblings, pulling the covers over them all and snuggling in.

" It's like a sleepover!"

" Yeah! All cozy and together!"

" Toge'fer!"

As the children babbled, Tony caught his wife's eye, and laughed, reaching over to have a final kiss. It might not have been quite what he had in mind, but this was perfection in its own sense.

" Gross! Get a room!"

" Eww Mama! Daddy!"

" Icky!"

**So, I had a request from mprmusings for some Tiva loving (with objecting kiddies!), and this is what happened, so I hope you enjoy :D Assignment Part 2 isn't quite ready yet, and I do like to write and update quickly, so this is to keep y'all going til I get it done.**

** Timmy finally gets to speak, hooray!**


	7. Family

_**Family**_

" I want you all on your best behaviour, understand?"

There was a nod of three heads simultaneously, all too afraid of the zealous gleam in their mother's eye to disagree.

" Your grandfather has heard good things about you, and so it shall remain. If one of you acts up, so help me, you'll be grounded 'til next September, clear?"

Again, another round of nodding heads. Timmy tugged at his shirt collar, opening his mouth to complain at the discomfort.

" That includes whinging, Timotheos. That shirt is staying on whether you like it or not."

The boy pouted, murmuring something under his breath, something thankfully Ziva chose to ignore.

" Good. Now go and amuse yourselves until he arrives. And keep your clothes clean!"

As the children made a beeline for the living room, Tony appeared on the stairs, buttoning up his own shirt, glancing after their retreating backs.

" Briefing the troops?"

Ziva turned to him, a frustrated sigh passing her lips.

" Why is he even coming? I send him a Christmas card, is that not enough?"

Tony chuckled lightly, taking the stressing woman into his arms.

" Ziva, he is your father. He's over on official business, but managed to get a little free time. Why would he not stop by for dinner?"

" Because...Because it is all too much! He will judge, and have an opinion on everything! You know what he's like! Need I remind you of the wedding?"

Tony ran a gentle hand through her straightened locks, attempting to calm his wife, whilst keeping his own fears at bay. It was no secret that Eli David put the fear of God in him. Marrying his daughter had been a daunting prospect, and the confrontation when Eli had branded him 'sub-standard' was less than pretty. Nevertheless, peace had been made, for Ziva's sake, and the two men had put aside the rather large differences. Eli as a dinner guest, however, was on a whole different level.

Ziva had spent the day cleaning and preparing, with several Hebrew curses emitted from the kitchen, enough to make the children giggle near permanently. Both Tonys had been instructed to clear the garden and tackle any manual jobs, whilst Abi and Timmy were sent around the house with various cleaning utensils. With 5 minutes until arrival, the stress had finally caught up to the woman of the house, and she allowed herself a slight cry in her husband's arms, finally straightening up and stopping as the doorbell rang.

" That'll be him."

Tony gave his wife's hand a gentle squeeze, before standing back, allowing her to open the door.

" Abba!"

Eli David stood, fresh faced as ever, a grin spread across his face, as his daughter embraced him.

" My Ziva! Look at you! As beautiful as ever."

They parted, allowing Tony to step forward and offer his hand. Eli looked him up and down, before taking it in a firm shake.

" Anthony. I see you've taken good care of my girl."

" As promised, Sir."

" Good, good. Now..." Eli glanced around, taking in the house as Ziva closed the door behind him. " Where are these grandchildren of mine? I didn't come all this way for formalities, after all."

A small hand reached up and tugged at Eli's hand, wide eyes staring, as Abigail dared to be the first to greet this new intruder. Eli bent down, a smile appearing on his face.

" Ah. You must be Abigail?"

" That's me!"

Eli laugh softly, gently kissing her cheek.

" It is wonderful to meet you, my little princess. So very like your mother. She was exceeding beautiful too."

Ziva allowed herself to smile, as Abi blushed.

" Was, Abba?"

" I meant, a beautiful child, my dear. You still are exceedingly beautiful."

Abi took that opportunity to retreat back to her mother, gently taking her hand. Tony pushed forward, a large grin plastered on his face as he offered Eli a hand. Eli took it, shaking it gently.

" And who are you, young man?"

" Anthony Jethro DiNozzo, the third. But you can call me Tony."

" Tony. I see. No need to question whom you got your looks from. Very much your father's boy, hm? And so that leaves Timotheos?"

Tony Senior laughed, shifting somewhat uncomfortably in his spot as the younger DiNozzo stepped back, turning around to look for the last of the clan. When Timmy did not step forward, Tony glanced down, seeing a head of brown curls peeking from behind his legs.

" Come on, Timmy. No need to be shy."

The little boy dug his fingers into Tony's trouser leg, refusing to budge. With a sigh, his father picked him up, at which the he let out a cry and buried his head away from his grandfather.

" C'mon, little guy. Say hi."

Eli smiled gently, watching the tiny head shake.

" My bark is worse than my bite, little one."

Timmy braved a peek out, turning to look Eli up and down, before smiling shyly.

" _Hi_ "

Ziva watched as her father gently spoke to Timmy, before glancing down as her daughter tugged on her hand, bending down so she could whisper in her ear.

" He's not scary!"

" Of course not. Who said he was?"

" Daddy did."

Ziva chuckled, straightening up again as her father turned to face her.

" Shall we eat then? You must be hungry, Abba."

Dinner passed without a hitch, with the children as good as gold, and Ziva suitably relaxed compared to her earlier state. Afterwards, Eli managed to secure his place in the children's hearts by presenting them with various presents brought from Israel, and even Timmy managed a hug as goodbyes were said. Eli's driver pulled up outside, with Ziva promising her father to write more often and as he stepped outside, he turned to Tony.

" Walk with me, Anthony."

Steeling himself, Tony gave his wife a quick wink, before following after her father, strolling down the garden path next to him.

" She seems happy."

The question caught Tony off guard. He was ready for all insults and probing accusations, but this was something else entirely.

" I'd like to think so, Sir."

" Indeed. Your children, however."

Tony bristled. An insult to himself, he could take. Even an accusation towards his treatment of Ziva, he could at least give a courteous reply. His children, however, were an out of bounds limit, especially from a man such as Eli David. The beast inside him roared, ready for anything thrown at him, regardless of who was watching or the consequences.

" They are...how to say..."

" They are my children"

Eli paused in his walking, stopping to stare at his son-in-law, who locked eyes.

" What do you mean by that, Mr DiNozzo?"

Tony caught sight of Ziva, peering out of the front window, trying to remain hidden, and willed himself to keep a cap on his famously sharp tounge.

" I mean that, regardless of your opinion of me, my family, my position in life, whether I should be with your daughter, I refuse to let you comment on my children. I am innumerably proud of all three, and love them without a shadow of a doubt, so refuse to allow any criticism of them, _Mr David_."

There was silence between the two men for a good minute, before Eli leant forward, and clapped a hand on Tony's back.

" I was wrong about you, Anthony. Perhaps you do deserve my daughter after all."

With that, Eli turned and continued down the path to his car, pausing again to look at Tony.

" And I was only going to say that they are clearly being brought up well. Look after them... Tony."

With that, Eli vanished inside the car, and as it sped away, Tony swore he could've caught sight of the old man smiling.

Once back inside, Ziva pounced on him, demanding to know exactly what her father had said. Tony simply tapped his nose with a smile, much to her fury. She left the subject be for now, and disappeared into the kitchen. No sooner had she left, than three faces appeared beside Tony. He opened his mouth to speak, but was met by three hands thrust at him. Checking one last time that his wife was definitely out of sight, he handed each child $10, and ushered them up the stairs. Timmy paused, turning back to his father with a defiant glare.

" I played the shy, cute game. That's gotta be worth an extra $5."

" I never told you to."

Timmy pouted, opening his mouth and turning towards the kitchen. Tony grabbed the youngster's hand, stuffing another $5 in it, before shooing him up the stairs, much to the boy's glee.

Perhaps he'd gotten more from his father than met the eye after all.


	8. Firstborn

_**Firstborn**_

It wasn't that Tony loved his eldest any more than the others.

It was simply that it was his first born.

And a son at that.

He'd always wanted a son.

Not that he didn't love his daughter.

God no, he'd die for her.

And it wasn't that he loved one son more than the other.

He'd taught them both the same

Treated them as equals

But there was something immensely fulfilling watching his eldest grow up.

Particularly with the resemblance between them.

Especially as he grew to be so like him.

The way he walked, the way he talked.

From his love of movies

To his love of nachos.

No, he'd picked the right son to pass the name onto.

Tony was strong enough to step away from his father's shadow

Likeness or not.

Tim, on the other hand, would have been lost in it.

And Tony would have felt forever guilty for that.

To have put too much weight on those slightly less robust shoulders.

And at the same time as loving watching him grow, Tony hated it.

He could close his eyes and still picture the day he was born

His first steps.

His first words.

His first Halloween.

His first Christmas.

His first day of kindergarten.

His first day of elementary.

His first baseball game.

His first day of junior high.

His first football game.

His first day of high school.

His first driving lesson.

His 16th birthday.

His first girlfriend.

His first break up.

His first crash.

His first hangover.

In his mind, his son was still young,

Begging him to play ball with him

Falling asleep as he read him a story.

Everything, crystal clear.

But on opening his eyes, that little boy was gone.

In his place stood a tall, broad 17 year old

That reminded him so much of himself he could have cried.

Smart, headstrong, with just a touch of arrogance

And the DiNozzo grin.

And he knew that with all the likeness

Came the need to fly the nest.

To carve out his own path, in his own way.

And so it came to be that Tony came

To his mother and him,

Sitting around the table one night.

With a letter clutched in his right hand

And a grin so large Tony knew it could only be one thing

And how right he was.

" I did it, Dad. I'm going.

Going to USNA, in Maryland.

I'm going to be a Marine."

And before he knew it

The day had come

Tony's leaving day.

Ziva sobbed quietly,

Holding him for as long as she could

Tears of pride streaked down her face

Gibbs, Tony had never seen smile that much

He clapped the boy on the back, gave him a few words of advice

Told him he'd be keeping an eye on him in the background.

Abi and Tim joked around

Begging for letters and pictures

And for him to come home soon.

And then it was his turn.

He helped him pack the car

To give them a few minutes to themselves

And Tony tried desperately to sum up everything he had to say.

Of all the love, and advice, and fear he had for him,

To think of anything he'd never told him, or not told him enough.

But instead, he leant over and took the boy into his arms

Held him tightly, held back the tears and kissed his head

Whispered the words he'd always wished to hear from his own father.

"_I'm so proud of you."_

**Soooo. A kind of drabble-ish one. I'm not all too sure where this came from. **

**A big thank you to all my readers, especially reviews.**

**Particularly to mprmusings, for all your lovely reviews and comments 3 **

**( And I agree! Though I still think Eli would have given him the evils for a while. Isn't that a father's job?)**

**Since I'm now doing the 100 themes, expect some more serious oneshots/drabbles to come through.**

**Enjoy folks (:**


	9. Birthday

_**Birthday**_

" _Director, I'm not sure I can do this."_

" _You have a duty as an agent. "_

" _With all due respect, sir, I have 3 young children-"_

" _Agent DiNozzo. We all have family. But your first priority, here and now, is your job."_

" _Do I have a choice in this, sir?"_

" _No."_

4 and a half months.

He'd been promised off this damn ship after 6 weeks, to no avail. He should've known Vance'd drag this out as long as possible.

And now it was April 23rd.

His daughter's birthday. Abi's 6th birthday. His little girl, 6 years old.

And he was going to miss it.

Worst of all, he hadn't even seen his children since he'd been here. Kids in MTAC were a strict no-no. He'd sent postcards and pictures and promises to be home soon. Even his eldest had sounded a little teary when he told them it'd be at least another month. Ziva was holding the fort, he had little doubt that she'd be able to, but even she had begged, out of the children's earshot, for him to come home.

He was going stir crazy. He'd begged Vance, begged and begged, but to no avail. 'There was work to be done', apparently. But unless that included browsing over cold cases and generally sitting in meetings with XOs, as far as he was concerned, there was none.

Tony kicked open the door, walking out onto the deck, breathing in the cool sea air, eyes locked on something beyond the horizon. He barely even flinched as a helo landed further along, his mind beyond preoccupied, picking at the peeling paint on the siderail.

" Sorry, Abi baby. I tried."

" Didn't try hard enough, eh DiNozzo?"

Tony barely had time to comprehend the words before a sharp pain to the back of his head brought on a grin.

" You know, just when I think there's no limits you'd go to to get at me..."

Jethro laughed, giving the man a sharp slap to the back.

" Get your stuff then."

Tony turned to look at him, confused, watching Gibbs' retreating back.

" Boss?"

" What, you think I came all this way to give you a slap? Vance's recalled you back to the Yard."

Tony nearly leapt off the boat with joy.

" Come on sweetie! Don't you want to open your presents?"

Ziva smiled, trying to coax her daughter downstairs, who stood in the games room, a large teddy bear stuffed in her arms. Abigail sniffed, looking at her toes.

" Daddy always opens the first one with me."

She lifted her eyes to meet her mother's, who sighed, and bent down, gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

" I know, baby, I know. But we just have to make do, huh? He said he'd phone and say-"

" But he's not here."

The bottom lip began to tremble, and Ziva did her best to try and stall the oncoming tidal wave of tantrum. Her son, however, inadvertently did the better job.

" Woah, Abi! This pile is huuuuge!"

The little girl's eyes lit up, and she freed herself from Ziva, tottering down the stairs and dashing into the living room, where she was met with a pile higher than herself, and wider by several times. Timmy pouted from his spot on the floor.

" I wan'!"

Tony smacked him across the head gently, tutting.

" No, Timmy! They're Abi's! Right, Mummy?"

Ziva chuckled gently.

" Exactly, darling."

She knelt down beside Abi, as a car pulled up outside. Almost instantly, Tony and Timmy disappeared to the front door, Timmy toddling behind his elder brother, as a cry of 'Grandpa Gibbs' rose up. Ziva chuckled, as Abi giggled. Gibbs turned out not to be alone, as Abby, McGee, complete with Leroy and a baby Caitlyn in tow, and Ducky appeared, with an abundance of presents. The boys fawned around Gibbs for several minutes, as everyone congratulated the birthday girl, and several 'Awws' arose as Leroy pecked her on the cheek. Gibbs cleared his throat, a soft smile on his face.

" I got you a special present this year, Abi."

He stepped aside from the front door, as a figure appeared behind him.

" A _very special_ present, Abigail."

Everybody froze, as Ziva's hand shot to her mouth, and Abi herself dropped the present she was holding, brown eyes wide. Tony and Timmy were the first to react, running and throwing themselves at their father with loud shrieks of " DADDY!", as Tony hoisted them in the air, laughing and holding them for a moment, before returning them to the ground. Abi was still froze, watching, as Tony knelt down, a smile on his face.

" What, don't I even rate one hug, baby?"

The little girl continued to stare, before turning to look at her mother beside her, and in a tiny voice, murmured;

" That's my daddy."

Ziva nodded, her own eyes filling, as Tony raised an eyebrow, his daughter turning back to look at him. There was another pause, before Abi's face crumpled, and with a loud sob, she ran to him, stumbling and almost tripping in her desperation. She crashed into him, arms instantly around his neck, and wailed into his shirt, as Tony laughed gently, another course of 'Awws' rising from the assembled parties, as he hoisted her into the air, cradling her gently.

" Y-you said...you said you w-weren't gonna be here!"

" I know, I know. But you think I would miss your birthday?"

There was a shake of her head, still buried into his chest, as he ran a hand through her hair, placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head.

" I-I..."

Abi pulled away, sniffing hopelessly, before bursting into a fresh round of tears.

" I missed you so much, Daddy!"

Tony cradled her closer, guilt instantly creeping back to him.

" I missed you too, baby girl. More than you'd know."

Several hours later, once presents had been opened, cake demolished, and goodbyes said, Tony elected to be the one to put the children to bed. After tucking a zonked-out Timmy into his crib, and pressuring Tony to at least make an attempt to put on pyjamas, he was left with a sleepy Abigail, who had barely left his side all night. As he tucked her in, she glanced up, pout instantly appearing.

" Stay for a bit, Daddy. I wanna hear about the boat!"

Tony laughed, climbing onto her bed and allowing her to nestle up to him, gently tucking an arm around her.

" Well, for starts, I was so squished, I couldn't even stretch my legs."

" Really?"

" Of course! Would I lie to you? And the ship's commanding officer was a real dumbass, big and shouty and nasty."

The stories continued for about ten minutes, until Abi was sound asleep. Tony smiled down at her sleeping form, allowing himself a few minutes to take in the moment. She was growing up far too fast.

" She really missed you, you know."

Tony glanced over at his wife, leaning in the doorframe in her nightdress, a smile across her features.

" I figured."

He managed to pry himself away from his daughter, replacing his absence with a large stuffed rabbit, and closed the door as he left.

" I really missed you too. You have no idea how awful it is, sleeping alone."

Ziva reached up, planting a soft kiss on his lips, wrapping lean arms around his neck. Tony smiled into the kiss, arms linking themselves around her waist, planting soft chaste kisses across her jaw and down her neck.

" Last time I checked, I spent the last four and a bit months in a navy bunk, by myself."

Ziva gave a playful wiggle of her eyebrows, letting one hand play with his hair, as he slowly backed her towards their own bedroom, lips never leaving her soft skin.

" Well, let's rectify that then, shall we, sailor boy?"

" I thought you'd never ask, my little ninja."

She laughed again, a playful glint reaching her eyes as she pulled him into the bedroom, and closed the door behind them. God, he'd missed her.

**Sorry for the lack of updates today, guys. I promise more tomorrow!  
>I've realised most of my stories are quite Tony-centric, so I'm going to try to make the next one more Ziva oriented (:<strong>

**As always, review and enjoy! :D **


	10. Broken

_**Broken**_

" I swear, one day, he will steer me insane!"

Timmy glanced up, chewing on his bottom lip.

" It's drive, Momma."

Ziva gave a particularly sharp tug of her son's hand, dragging him along the hospital corridor, her daughter in tow.

" Is he gonna be okay, Mom?"

" I don't know! "

Ziva gave a frustrated sigh, stopping at the nurses desk, effectively silencing her children. The nurse manning the station glanced up, taking in the sight of the wild haired, panting Israeli woman and the two, rather pale faced children, and clearing her throat.

" What can I-"

" Anthony DiNozzo. Taken in about an hour ago."

" Ah, of course. Let me take you there."

The nurse rose, motioning the family to follow her, as she wove through identical corridors, finally stopping outside of a cubicle, before pulling back the curtain. Ziva took a sharp breath, Timmy and Abi sharing worried looks.

" _Anthony. DiNozzo."_

The doctor treating her husband turned, startled, starting to blurt out that she could not be in here as Ziva brushed passed him, an accusatory finger pointed in his face.

" _Where."_

Tony mumbled an excuse, unable to meet his wife's furious eyes, wincing as Ziva prodded said finger in his bruised chest.

" Where. Is. He."

" Where's who, Mom?"

All eyes turned on the 15 year old who had entered the cubicle, accompanied by a nurse, with his arm set in a plaster cast, slung up by a sling. Ziva uttered several words of relief, immediately embracing her son, casting worried eyes across him.

" Are you okay?"

" He'll be fine, Mrs DiNozzo. A clean break of the left ulva. Should heal in a couple of weeks."

" A broken arm."

The doctor stared at the woman for a moment, before realising her anger was not directed at him, but at the man on the bed behind him. Tony visibly cowered, as Ziva advanced on him.

" I_ told_ you! I told you that you were useless, and to leave it to Gibbs! I told you it was dangerous, that someone would get hurt! I told you that you couldn't build a...a...housetree!"

Tony Jr sniggered, glancing up at his mother.

" It's a treehouse, Mom!"

Ziva turned around, such fury in her eyes that the boy backed down, and she turned back on his sheepish looking father. Tony swallowed, trying his best to put on an innocent grin to his wife.

" In all fairness, I took the brunt of the fall-"

" Oh, what a hero!"

Tony flinched again, mumbling under his breath about lack of gratitude. Ziva sighed, turning to thank the doctors, before facing her eldest son.

" You, young man, are grounded! I told you to stay in your room, did you even finish your homework?"

The younger DiNozzo mumbled, shuffling away from his mother, as his father leaned over with a grin.

" And me? Am I grounded too, darling?"

Ziva turned to him, a smirk gracing her elegant features.

" I'm not too sure. We can see how you feel after a night on the sofa."

Tony whined as Ziva turned and left, 3 giggling children in tow. He glanced over at the nurse, who was stifling a laugh.

" She doesn't mean that..."

" Or maybe in the car!"

Tony groaned, sinking lower into the bed with a sigh.


	11. Fixed

_**Fixed**_

"Wh-Why, Mom?"

Ziva sighed gently, cradling her sobbing daughter, running a hand through her curls, uttering soothing words. The girl had been sobbing for an hour straight, her mobile phone in pieces on the floor.

" I d-don't see...what I d-did wrong!"

Her mother sighed again, stroking the tear-stained cheek that laid against her shoulder, silently going through her favourite list of murder techniques as the girl continued to sob, decided which would be the most appropriate to use on 'Jamie Burrell'. Her daughter had been rather smitten with her new footballer boyfriend, until he'd been pictured with his tongue inside a busty blonde's mouth at a friend's birthday party. Since then, the girl refused to stop crying, her usually fiery 19 year old daughter pale and withdrawn.

There was a slam of a door from downstairs and hurried footsteps, before Timmy appeared at his sister's door, out of breath.

" M-Mom..."

Ziva looked over, raising an eyebrow, indicating that whatever his message was, it had better be _damn important._

" T-Tony...Dad...Gibbs..._Jamie._"

His mother disappeared in an instant, rushing past him and down the stairs, his sobbing sister following after him, before deciding that this was not to be missed. In the street, there was a group convened, 3 men facing down to one. Ziva knew instantly. The white hair was her ex-boss, standing slightly back from the other two and her husband, still in his work shirt, arms crossed. At the front stood her eldest, recently returned from the Marines, standing shoulder to shoulder with his father, yet far more burly than either of his companions, his crew cut still far shorter than she had ever liked. And at the other side, a rather white Jamie Burrell, staring ahead of him at the advancing Marine.

" You got a problem with my sister, Burrell?"

Ziva rushed over, pulling her husband to her, giving him a dark look, as her daughter watched, lip between her teeth, hands shaking. Tony raised an eyebrow, giving his wife an innocent look.

" Yes, dear?"

" Just what do you think you are doing?"

Gibbs cut in, turning his piercing blue eyes on her.

" Fixing a problem."

Ziva gave a disgruntled sigh.

" This is not the way to deal with something like this! A better way wou-"

Her point was cut off by a loud smack, as her son's fist made contact with the other boy's face, a loud cheer from her younger son cheering him on, a cry coming from his victim. Tony smiled innocently, as their son stalked away from the now profusely bleeding Jamie, back to his sister, who threw her arms around him with a grateful sob.

" See? Fixed."


	12. Car

_**This is a warning, before you read on. This short is much darker and of a far more serious nature than anything I've written so far. Nothing graphic, or mature, just to let you know.**_

_**Car**_

" Agent DiNozzo!"

Ziva turned to look at the woman across the partition, raising an eyebrow.

" Yes?"

" It's a phone call for you."

The agent grumbled, crossing the room and taking the proffered phone.

" Hello?"

Both McGee and Gibbs started as Ziva rushed back to her desk, the phone left hanging, gathering her items before making a beeline for the elevator. Gibbs started after her, managing to catch her hand.

" Ziva, what the hell is-"

She turned to him, eyes large and panicked, visibly trembling.

" That was Bethesda... Tony and the children... There's been a crash..."

Gibbs said not another word, his only actions taking the keys from Ziva's hand, not sure, based on her usual driving, if letting her drive whilst panicked was an altogether good idea.

* * *

><p>" Please, Mrs DiNozzo, come in."<p>

Ziva was ushered into the room, Gibbs instantly behind her, despite the doctor's protests.

" I'm family, doctor."

Ziva nodded her approval, eyes fixed on the white coat in front of her, willing him to skip the protocol and tell her where the _hell_ her children and husband were.

" Mrs DiNozzo, your husband and children were brought in earlier as the results of an RTC, involving two vehicles- "

" My family, doctor. I just want to see them."

The doctor nodded, skipping through several sheets on a clipboard.

" Of course, of course. Your children all had minor injuries, bumps, small whiplash, generally shaken up..."

There was a pause, Ziva too scared to even breath. The doctor paused again, meeting her eyes with a sigh.

" The driver that hit your husband's car was under the influence of alcohol. His blood level was nearly twice the legal limit. He was driving into oncoming traffic at nearly double the legal speed limit. From the positioning of the crash, the fire service told us that it was clear your husband had retained control, and the other car had crashed only into the driver's side of the car, specifically the front, not any further back than the driver's door."

Ziva stared, mouth attempting to form words, as Gibbs stepped in for her.

" DiNozzo's condition?"

" It's touch and go at the moment. He's in ICU, we lost him twice on the way here, stable at the moment as far as I'm away. He's lost a lot of blood, heavy concussion, several broken ribs. WE'll know more when he regains consciousness. "

There was a tangible silence in the wake of the doctor's words. Ziva sat down slowly, taking several breaths, mind clearly processing the situation.

" I'll go and fetch your children, Mrs DiNozzo."

Gibbs gave the man a grateful nod as he left, turning to his shaking agent.

" Tony-"

" He steered into."

Ziva looked up at him, swallowing. Gibbs sat down next to her, watching her carefully.

" He couldn't avoid the crash, so instead he acted the hero an-"

" He saved his children."

Ziva met the piercing blue eyes boring into her, a half laugh escaping her lips.

" He put hims-"

" You're telling me you wouldn't have done the same?"

She was silenced again, as the older man leant back, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

" He's a father, Ziva. Far before an agent. In the heat of the moment, with the lives of his children threatened, primal instinct kicks in."

Ziva shook her head, voice trembling.

" He put himself in this condition, so that-"

Her words were cut off as the door burst open, three yelling bundles making a dash for her, several sobs and panicked 'Mom!''s echoing through the room. Ziva held them all, shushing them, kneeling down, uttering soft words in Hebrew. Gibbs smiled ever so softly, watching the scene play out.

" So that this could happen?"

Ziva nodded softly at his words, only half paying attention, more focused on calming the nervous children. Timmy and Abi were shaking, but it was Tony who sobbed, clinging to Ziva with abandon. Gibbs gently coaxed the two younger children into a snack from the vending machine, leaving Ziva with her eldest son.

" Momma, I tried! D-Dad, he...I tried!"

Ziva frowned, gently brushing her son's hair out of his face.

" Just tell me what happened, baby."

Tony nodded softly, sniffing.

" I was in the front, Timmy and Abi in the back. We were singing along to the radio. Then the other car came towards us, and Dad yelled at us to...to.."

He motioned with his hands, beginning to get more upset at the lack of understanding. Ziva soothed him softly, willing him to continue.

" Brace?"

He nodded, wiping his nose with his sleeve.

" Uh-huh. And then there was a massive bang, and...and it's a little fuzzy...then we stopped moving and Dad...Dad was...there was so much blood, and he was, like, whispering. He told me...told me to take Timmy and Abi and get away, stay off the road, wait for the police. Not to let T-Timmy and Abi see anything, cuz they're only little... And I did that, and my neck hurt but I pulled them out and waited, and Timmy wouldn't stop crying, and then the police and the firemen and the paramedics came and Dad..."

He waited for a moment, before bursting into a fresh flood of tears, unable to continue. Ziva took him in her arms, rocking him gently.

" I know D-DiNozzo's ain't meant to cry b-but..."

" Don't be so silly, Anthony. You've been so brave. I'm very proud of you. Cry if you wish."

The boy nodded, clinging tighter to Ziva, as Gibbs returned, the doctor from earlier at his back.

" Ziva...Tony's awake."

* * *

><p>Ziva always hated hospitals. The wires, tubes, heck, even the smell sent shivers through her spine. It reminded her too much. Particularly of an injured Gibbs. And that put the fear of God in her.<p>

So the sight of her husband, bruised, bandaged and hooked up to a cacophony of bleeping machines instantly panicked her. The usual cocky, joking Tony silent was another massive blow. It wasn't until she was at his bed side, his hand in hers, and looking into his slightly dazed eyes that she felt even slightly relieved.

" Hey, sweet-cheeks."

Ziva scoffed, quickly wiping away a stray tear that had somehow managed to sneak around her inner walls of 'no emotion'.

" Having fun, dear?"

Tony laughed weakly, wincing at the pain it caused.

" I've had better days, let's be honest."

Ziva gave his hand a gently squeeze, before leaning into him, arms curling around him as best they could under the circumstances. Tony kissed her cheek gently, pulling her closer. She began to sob, the sound muffled as she pressed into him.

" Th-thank-you..."

" Only doing my job. The doctor said the kids were fine."

There was a nod from Ziva as she pulled away, wiping her face.

" A little shaken, a couple of bruises, nothing a few days rest won't fix. It's you we have to worry about."

" Baby, please. It's me. DiNozzos are particularly robust."

Ziva smiled again, her hand finding his, fingers intertwining, before sighing.

" Tony was most upset. He told me what happened."

" He really deserves a pocket money raise. At least, a bonus fo-"

" You could have died, Tony."

There was a sharp silence between the couple, as Tony raised his eyes to look at her.

" And what was I meant to do? Let the idiot crash into the passenger side, take out our sons? Or maybe try and avoid it and he might have only hit Abi. How could I have faced you, faced myself, with their blood on my hands?"

Ziva bit her tounge, unable to counter the look in her husband's eyes.

" I would never have blamed y-"

" But I would have. I was driving."

" The other guy was-"

" An idiot, fine. But I was at the wheel, which makes me in charge. I'm their father, Zi. If there's any chance of putting myself between them and harm, I'll do it, to hell with the cost. And because of that, they're here, and as long as that remains the case, I couldn't give two shits what happens to me."

" And who is here to protect them if you throw your life away like that?"

Tony chuckled weakly, pushing himself into a sitting position with a wince.

" There's always Gibbs."

" Don't you pass this one off to me while you're still breathing."

Both heads turned to the man at the door, as a younger boy let out a squeal and made a run for his father. Little Tony buried his face into his father's chest, heaving a large sigh of relief, as the elder bent down to plant a kiss on the top of his head.

" I was so scared, Dad."

" I know, son. You did so well though. Proud of you."

He gave the boy's hair a gentle ruffle, as Ziva disappeared towards the door, Gibbs stopping her with a hand and a questioning look. She smiled sweetly, freeing herself of his grasp, headed for the door, turning back to give him a sly wink. Gibbs allowed himself a smirk, knowing that whatever pain the ass that had hit the car was in would be tenfold by the time the Mossad agent was done.

****A note to mprmusings, who never fails to leave me a chirpy review (: Thank you so much for your time, it means a heck of a lot to me to know you're still following my ramblings.****

**To everyone else, thank you for reading, and I hope you continue to enjoy them.**


	13. Film

**Just a light drabble-y one for you (:**

**Thank you all for your reviews! They are mucho appreciated and loved. **

**As usual, any ideas or hints and criticism, please put it in your reviews! :D**

_**Film**_

Movies were taken extremely seriously in the DiNozzo household, as Ziva had known they would be. From a young age, Tony had been able to quip a line to suit the moment, in lieu of his father. Abi had obsessed over any 'hot' movie star and could recite a list of their films, in perfect chronological order. Timmy spent hours pouring over any and every action film his father owned, regularly finding a new hero and spending the next week acting out his favourite scenes. From being small toddlers, they had watched every kind of film imaginable, from Disney to Die Hard, and trips to the cinema had been a bi-weekly occurance, as soon as homework was done.

Their father glowed with pride with their obsession, and Ziva had given in early on. It was common sight for her to come in from work and find all of them curled up on the sofa, several large bags of popcorn between them, eyes glued to the large screen. She often joined them, but always felt like a spare wheel in some ways. This, she guessed, was Tony's way of getting through to them, _his_ time with them, although he would never suggest that. She knew that often, it was here, whilst watching a movie alone with their father, that any fears or problems would usually surface. Tony had developed a knack for being able to draw it out of them, using the movie as cover.

It was not as though she lacked her own time with them. She'd instilled from day one that the children learn Hebrew, something Tony had agreed with, and this was her version of 'alone-time'. Often whilst pouring over grammar rules and letters, a worry would be voiced, and a naggling feeling Ziva had proved right. It was invaluable.

So, it was quite often that she found herself alone in the kitchen, cleaning up or filing out paperwork, whilst Tony laughed along with their brood. She was never jealous, though. It wasn't as if Tony could mock her in 'film' without her understanding. She did look forward to the day he finally asked just what the children had said across the dinner table to her.


	14. Daughter

**This one was difficult for me to write, simply because I have a boy, and not a girl. So I drew upon my niece for inspiration, and tried to adjust it from there.**

**As usual, thank you for your reviews and reads (:**

**mprmusings, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought that about the last chapter! I was sure Tony must have taken the rap for someone else. It's Tony after all. He's very protective like that, one of the things that makes me connect to him as a character. Thank you for your kind words too. I'm raising my boy to know he was very well loved, and still is, even if he keeps Daddy up all night.**

**Shalom to you all! :D**

_**Daughter**_

Tony had always prided himself as a 'man's man'. He didn't cry either, as DiNozzos simply did not.

Yet from when his daughter was first placed in his arms, he felt that suddenly begin to crack, and slowly crumble with the first emotional slipped tear.

Over the years, he'd grown to think nothing of allowing Abigail to plaster his face in make-up, of acting out dramatic stories with dolls, of dressing up into whatever she required for her stories today. He knew the dances to all of the television shows, and was regularly called upon to join his young daughter in reciting them. He knew all the words to all the songs, more begrudgingly as she grew up and insisted on having them belting from her room. She had him wrapped completely around her little finger, and Tony knew it.

From day one, if she had said 'jump', Tony wouldn't even have asked how high. He drove her to every cheerleading practice, was there at every dance recital with the video camera, was the first one to stand up and loudly cheer as she knocked out at black belt at karate, albeit an accident.

He'd watched her grow from that tiny child to a beautiful young woman, every bit as smart and confident as her mother, with a flourish of him in her character. He loved his sons, no doubt about that, but his daughter would always hold a large part of his heart.

And it was bitter sweet as he'd said yes to her, watched her plan, and worry, and stress, and dream. It had kept him awake for many nights, memories replaying in his head, desperate to keep that little girl _there_.

But when the day finally came, he couldn't help himself. She was beautiful in her dress, as he'd known she would be, and shaking with nerves. He took her hand, kissed her cheek, and whispered his love for her. He walked her to the front of the church, took a breath and handed her away. And as he stepped back beside his wife, safe in the knowledge that his little girl would be safe, and happy, Tony DiNozzo allowed himself to bow his head, and sob silently.


	15. Fire

**This one is inspired by a childhood memory (: Good times, good times.**

**On the review front, thank you all!**

**SomeKindaWonderful: Definitely not a stalker! Every review means so much to me, to know that people are actually enjoying my writing! Thank you for your time.**

**mprmusings: Haha, sorry for the play on the emotions! They say a good cry a day is good for you, on the upside? ;) And I do have several ones that involve Gibbs/McAbby/Ducky, even the Gremlin, they just take much longer for me to work on. I find having lots of characters more difficult to do, but rest assured, they will be put up as soon as I am happy with them! It's a necessary part of Tiva, after all.**

**The Lady Grace: I can definitely see that! I'd imagine she'd have the same control over Gibbs too xD**

**As always, enjoy folks! :D**

_**Fire**_

Ziva enjoyed the weekends, particularly for the lie ins. She was always the first awake, her husband normally still sprawled out, snoring happily beside her, and it often gave her time to contemplate or ponder anything on her mind. More often than not, she wriggled herself under his arms and simply watched him sleep, marveling how still he could actually be when he tried.

This morning as she snuggled into his chest, however, she was rather surprised to receive a grunt from said man, before his arm curled itself around her waist and soft lips placed themselves on her forehead. Ziva giggled softly. Her husband had this wonderful way of erasing all training and protocol from her mind, and allowing her to be _just_ a woman; a woman, in love with her husband, and simply enjoying the peace and quiet of early morning. She reached a hand up gently, small fingers running over the bristle of stubble, as Tony lazily cracked open one eye.

" Good morning, my love."

He grunted, pressing his lips against her forehead again as a way of replying. Ziva found herself giggling, and Tony's lips formed a gentle smile. Both were silent again, enjoying the simple intimacy. Their peace, however, was shattered by the shrill peals of the fire alarm, instantly jolting them from the bed, and into a panicked frenzy. Tony skidded into the hallway, still tugging on a pair of jogging bottoms, as his nose picked up the distinct smell of smoke, his fears confirmed as, on reaching the stairs, he saw the haze radiating from the kitchen. He cleared the stairs in several half-jumps, dashing towards the kitchen, heart pounding in his chest, as Ziva appeared at the top of the stairs behind him.

" ZIVA! GET THE KI-"

He stopped at the kitchen door, and found himself unable to speak.

" I TOLD you this would happen!"

" It's not MY fault, you idiot! I told you to watch it!"

" YOU were in charge of it!"

" Just shut up and keep waving, it'll turn off eventu-"

" Oh. Daddy."

Three rather guilty faces met Tony's panicked eyes. Abi was on her brother's shoulders, desperately waving a dishtowel beside the smoke alarm in an attempt to silence the screaming device, as Timmy wrangled with the nearest window. Several slices of charred toast sat on the worktop, clearly the cause of the panic, and all three children glanced from Tony, to the toast, and then at each other.

" TONY! The kids are gone!"

A rather flustered Ziva appeared beside her husband, before laying eyes on the scene before her, a mixture of amusement and bewilderment crossing her face.

" What in heaven's name are the three of you doing?"

Tony crossed the kitchen with a bemused chuckle, lifting Abigail back onto the floor, before easily opening the window Timmy had been struggling with, along with all the others and the back door, in an attempt to clear the smoke-logged kitchen. The eldest DiNozzo shuffled his feet, feeling his siblings' eyes on him.

" We, er...we wanted to make you breakfast in bed."

Ziva blinked several times, sighing in relief as the alarm finally silenced. The parents met eyes, before bursting into laughter, much to their children's surprise.

" Wait, you're not mad?"

Tony knelt down with a shake of his head, still chuckling.

" Nah, kiddo. As long as you're safe, that's all that matters."

Abigail pouted, tears welling in her eyes. " We _tried_ Daddy" she whined, looking so upset that Tony had to pick her up and hush her.

" It's the thought that counts, baby girl."

The younger Tony objected to the special treatment, and his father gave in, expertly balancing the two children in his arms as Ziva nodded in agreement, plucking Timmy off the counter and holding him on her hip, grinning wryly.

" Perhaps Daddy'll make you pancakes instead?"

There was a cheer from the children, as Tony met his wife's eyes, smirking.

" I'm being given permission to?"

Ziva laughed again, winking playfully.

" It led to good things last time, even if the ceiling was never quite the same again."


	16. School

**_School_**

Timmy had always had his reservations about school. He'd barely made it through elementary, and junior high. High school, he decided, was the worst that had been thrown at him yet.

Out of the three DiNozzo children, he was admittedly the brightest. They were all smart, heck, Abi was a straight A student, and Tony would have been if he actually paid _attention_ in Maths. But Timmy was just that bit sharper, or 'nerdier' as his elder brother put it. He'd graduated top of his year, every year. Tony never let him forget that.

Whatever it was, he knew it would put him in line for the usual abuse. Because there was plenty of seniors, and juniors, and probably even sophomores, who shared his brother's opinion on his hobbies. Online gaming, and book reading, and a love of all things fantasy did not go down well with the mainstream problem was, Tony knew the line and Tony was only joking, as he often promised. At school, Timmy was at the mercy of the bullies, and he hated it.

It was difficult. Tony was the golden child, smart, good-looking, and the quarterback for the school team. _Everyone_ loved Tony. The girls swooned, the jocks were his brothers, the nerds brown-nosed, the teachers fawned. Abi, well, she was in a league of her own. Always surrounded by friends, sassy, clever, and a cheerleader. His siblings practically screamed ' High School Stereotype'. The good ones anyway.

Timmy had always been able to hold his own, at least in conversation. He'd inherited his father's sharp tongue, and mother's sarcasm, and used it often. It was very little use, however, when your head was halfway down a toilet. His father did try; he spoke to him, and promised him that it was just a phase, it was just high school. But what did he know? He'd been what Tony Jr was now; he'd _been_ the bully. His mother soothed him and tried to build a little self confidence, but he doubted she'd ever been in his shoes; his mother wasn't one to be pushed around. He loved them both, but sometimes, felt more alone than ever speaking to them.

So it was that Timmy turned to the best person he could think of; his namesake. The McGees saw more of him than they did of both his brother and sister combined. Timmy passed it off as simply wanting to see Jen, but in reality, it was a safe haven for him. Uncle Tim had no problems sitting discussing the latest patches for any game the boy mentioned, going as far as to enthusiastically show him his newest mods. Aunt Abby _always_ had something new, and of course, uber-cool to show him. Last time, she'd shown him some ace reactions, much to his delight. The pressure to do well, to conform to the family, was lifted the minute he crossed the threshold to the house, and all taunts of 'Geek!' and 'Nerd!' disappeared. Here, geeks were the norm, and he loved it.

He spent more and more time at the McGee's as the taunting at school continued. His mother and father continued to pester him with questions, but he simply shook his head; '_No, everything's fine!'_. Because in reality, his aunt and uncle had instilled a new found confidence in him.

Being geek was perfectly okay. More than that. It was far better than any other stereotype. As the months passed, the quiet Timmy slowly disappeared. Instead stood a cautious, but determined Tim, who hid behind his books with a large smirk. He could sit and banter with his father during a film, or rebut one of his mother's jokes. So his brother could mock, and his sister could roll her eyes, and the bullies could tease.

But when the basketball captain announced over Facebook that he rather liked men, much to everyone, including his own and his girlfriend's, surprise, Timmy had nothing to do with it. It was most definitely not him who'd put the mutated sea-monkeys in his sister's locker, and put large spiders in his brother's lunch. And the video of the football team running from the showers, screaming and naked, as loud bangs and flashes went off behind them, that had nearly five thousand views on YouTube?

He supposed he'd take credit for that one. With a thank you note on the side, to a Mrs A McGee.

**I did realise that I've portrayed Tony and Ziva as rather terrible parents in this one, which was not intended at all.**

**I was wanting to play around with Timmy's character a little, him having the least story-time of the brats. And it's not that Tony doesn't speak to him. I just always picture Tony as the kind of Gibbs father, y'know? ' Get on with it and tell them where to stick it!' would be a somewhat-suitable Tony reply. And I really do think that, especially through their equally nerdy love of movies, father and son would get along rather well. But Timmy's at that awkward phase, and we all know how Tony took to 'Elf-Lord', so that relationship sort of sits on the backburner for now. When he gets older, I suspect, he and Tony will be just fine ;)**

**As for Ziva, I think that she would probably understand her son more than her husband, but Timmy would have had enough of the 'Mummy's boy' bullying to know that confiding in Ziva may only draw more taunts from his big bro. Besides, Ziva doesn't even know what an Elf-Lord is -_-**

**SO. I like my rather geeky Timmy (: It's a nice way to draw in McAbby too, because I think Little!Tony would have quite a close bond with Gibbs, likes his father, and probably Abi would too. But Abi's a girl. Everybody loves a girl. **

**ANYWAY. Enough drabble! Criticise and tear me to shreds! You know how I love it ;)**

**Shalom.**


	17. Sixth Sense

**_Sixth Sense_**

" Zi, would'ya calm down? We've been gone less than a week."

" Tony, how can I possibly remain calm? I am a mother!"

" That's a terrible excuse! Look, Tony's 18, he's smart, he's confident, he's-"

" Very, very like you!"

" ...Okay, fine! Point taken. But still, Abi would keep him in line, surely?"

" I don't know, Tony. I just worry. I have a bad feeling. Like a sixth sense."

" I noticed. Look, we'll get in, they'll be in bed, it's nearly 1 in the morning, everything will be fine. It's not as if they'll have taken down the house or...Oh Lord."

There was silence as the car pulled up the street, to the house on the end. The house that had every light on, and the garage open, and some kind of dance music blaring from inside, with what looked like half the neighbourhood inside.

" You know, everything'll be fine, _dear_."

Tony winced at her words, watching as she exited the vehicle and slammed the door with a certain malice. He cursed under his breath, turning off the engine and silently praying for his children's welfare. It wasn't that he wasn't angry. It was just that he had been that rebellious teenager, and in their position. That said, his mother hadn't been Ziva. He hadn't even had a mother by that point.

Ziva stormed past several drunken guests and pushed her way into the house, Tony appearing behind her several moments later. The house, in short words, was a mess. Bottles and cans littered the hallway and stairs, purses and clothing lay just about everywhere; it looked as though a tornado had picked up the house, turned it upside down and given it a good shake. Ziva clenched her teeth, taking in the sight, before one beady-eyed, probably most sober, party guest noticed she was there, and quickly pointed it out. There was a quick hush of voices, which quickly spread to the entire house, the music silencing, and all eyes turning on them. In a matter of seconds, a rather red-faced Tony was pushed to the front of the crowd, his eyes quickly avoiding his parents. Ziva took a deep breath, before pointing to the crowd before her.

" By the time I reach 3, I want all of you_..._ OUT OF...MY...HOUSE."

The response was instantaneous, with the party goers quickly crowding to the front door, pushing amongst themselves to ensure that they were not the one left with the angry parents, and the wrath that would ensue. Once she was satisfied the house was empty, at least of drunken teenagers, Ziva slammed the front door shut, rounding on her son, who swayed ever so slightly where he stood.

" _Anthony...Jethro...DiNozzo..."_

Even Tony shivered slightly at her tone. It was her special 'I-Will-Kill-You' tone, reserved for those special occasions, such as a forgotten wedding anniversary. The use of the middle name too. The kid was going to get it. Junior swallowed, shuffling nervously.

" It was only a couple of people..."

Ziva stared incredulously, waving her hand around at the disorder.

" A _couple_ of people? You had half of your school here!"

" It got sorta out of hand..."

" I'd agree with that!"

In amongst his wife's yelling, and his son's timid replies(he wouldn't intervene unless necessary, Ziva was often better at handling the boy punishment-wise), Tony's sharp mind cottoned on to something. His son hadn't been left _alone._ His paternal senses tingled, something not settling right with him.

" Another thing, young man, we leave you for a couple of days-"

" Ziva."

" A couple of days and-"

" ZIVA."

" WHAT, Tony?"

Her husband put a finger to her lips, turning to his eldest son, suddenly serious.

" Where is your sister?"

Ziva raised an eyebrow, looking towards his eldest, who mused for a moment, then shrugged.

" She disappeared like, 15 minutes ago? Her and Jamie went ups-"

He suddenly went silent, realising the implications of his words. Ziva's mouth form a small 'O', as Tony let out something between a snort and a feral snarl, turning to climb the stairs, hopping two at a time.

" Oh, _did they now."_

Ziva closed her eyes, muttering several words in Hebrew, glancing at her son.

" You had better hope, somehow, that your father doesn't find what we both know he's going to find! For your sister's sake!"

Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair.

" I didn't meant it! It just slipped o-"

" DAD, WHAT THE... NO! DAD!"

The bang of a door and several roars from Tony, and a terrified-looking Jamie scrambled down the stairs, hastily pulling a pair of jeans on, as said DiNozzo stormed behind him, fire in his eyes. The teen stumbled long enough to allow Tony to catch up and send him head first out of the door with a rather vicious shove, accompanied by a string of insults. A tearful Abi rushed down the stairs, re-buttoning her blouse, and aimed a hand for her father, screaming at him. Tony was quick enough to grab it, two pairs of identical blue eyes locking, one face tear stained and panicked, the other furious.

" WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"

" I'M NOT A CHILD, DAD!"

" YOU'RE 16, YOUNG LADY, YOU'LL DO AS I SAY, UNDERSTOOD? I'm sure I made myself clear, HE was not to BE HERE."

" We were only talking-"

" Like hell you were only talking! I wasn't born yesterday!"

" We were doing NOTHING wrong!"

" Last time I checked, you were 16, and little Jimbo was 18. Sex with a minor is illegal, in case you weren't aware. He's damn lucky I'm not marching him down to the station and-"

" We weren't even...! We were doing NOTHING!"

" Wouldn't go quite that far. Ten more minutes, and we'd have seen how that played out."

" It's nothing to DO with you!"

" Don't you dare! I am your father, madam, and as long as you're living here, it's my rules, understand? If I say no, that's what goes!"

His daughter closed her mouth, taking a deep breath and swiping angrily at the tears on her face. Ziva chose this moment to step in between the pair, looking at Tony pleadingly until he relented and released his grip of Abi's arm.

" Alright, time out. Tony, I think you made your point, enough."

" Oh, I'm just getting sta-"

" Enough."

Ziva placed a hand on his chest, glancing up towards him with eyes that both agreed with him, but warned him against pushing any further. Tony glanced from her, to Abi, before turning and stalking into the kitchen, muttering under his breath darkly, and it was several seconds before there was a slam of the back door. Abi sniffed, wiping away the remaining tears, before even risking a glance towards her mother, who was, as guessed staring at her. Tony Junior took the hint, and left mother and daughter, headed to his bedroom, with a swift promise from Ziva of punishment in the morning. There was silence again, before she spoke.

" What were you thinking, Abigail?"

Her daughter sniffed again, preferring to intently stare at her twisting hands. Ziva waited for another moment, before sighing, and reaching over to pull the girl into her arms. Abi immediately began sobbing again.

" I d-didn't mean...I...I'm sorry, I...I..."

Ziva pulled away, putting hands on either side of her daughter's face.

" It was wrong of you. Your father doesn't lay down many rules, you know, he is quite fair. It might seem harsh to you, but he has good intentions."

" H-He's a hypocrite though! All the s-stories, from when h-he was young, and he treats me like-"

" Have you never stopped to consider that perhaps he is trying to stop you from making the same mistakes that he did?"

There was silence again, as Abi considered her mother's words. Ziva paused, before continuing.

" Besides, remember, he is a man. He sees everything in a completely different way, simply because he is male. The kind of girls in his stories, what do you really think his opinion of them was? Do you think, perhaps, he had any real respect for them, the flings, and one night stands, anyway?"

Abi considered it again, before shrugging, giving a soft shake of her head. Ziva nodded approvingly.

" Exactly. And remember, he was that moody seventeen year old boy, with his brain in his pants and his head in the clouds. I question whether he still is sometimes. Therefore, would he allow his own daughter, the daughter he adores, his beloved little girl, to be viewed like that? To earn a reputation that many of his..._friends_ had?"

Abi shrugged again, mumbling.

" I guess not."

" Ah, you more than 'guess not'. You're a smart girl, sweetheart."

" I lo...I really like him, Ima."

" I understand that. But get to know him first, at least a little more. At the end of the day, you're your own woman, and you'll do what you want. But sometimes, maybe we say things, speaking from experience, to try and save you the hurt of learning the lesson the hard way. Your father loves you, he wants the best for you. That will never change. To him, you will always be his little girl. Always. When you meet a man, and marry him, and have children of your own, it will still be the same. He will still phone you, and worry over you, and warn you, and probably threaten your husband that if he hurts you, he'll have him killed. Trust me on this one, I have experience by the bucketload."

Abi giggled, sniffling. Ziva smiled, kissing her gently, before letting her go.

" Go and rest up, my darling. Things will be better in the morning, you'll see. Besides, you and your brother have some real tidying to do. Don't think this will be forgotten."

Her daughter groaned, but gave in, climbing the stairs, pausing as her mother didn't follow her.

" Are you not tired, Ima?"

Ziva laughed softly, winking at her.

" Of course I am. But I have a moody seventeen year old outside that I need to deal with. Being a mother to four children is hard work, you know."

**There will be a follow up to this one, with Tony and Ziva's conversation, published in maybe an hour or so, because I have the perfect theme for it, and I didn't want this to be too long.**

**As always, thank you for your reviews, comments, criticisms and reading!**

**mprmusings: Firstly, I'd like to admit that the last one was the first one that I've written that I did have issues with, personally. I really conflicted portraying Tony as I did, because I think it a) did come out slightly wrong and b) I always hate picking flaws with characters. I think Tony would have supported his son, but struggled to know how, at least until Timmy gained a little confidence and actually confided in him properly. I think it would have more been a case of Timmy being scared of confiding in him for fear of being laughed at, or not understood, and until he felt more comfortable in his own skin, sticking where he was comfortable. But like I said, I think ( and know ;) ) once that bond had been strengthened, the two of them would have got on, possibly better, than Tony and Little!Tony. I would also like to admit that I had only watched half of the most recent episode ( it's not being shown on TV here yet, and it's difficult to get ahold of time to watch it online) and after watching it, I think I would change Tony, or at least play about with it. If I ever get around to revamping these, this one would be top of the queue, so far.**

**On a side note, I admire your little boy (: I was an ADHD child(still am a child a heart) and know just how hard it can be with that alone. My heart goes out to him, and you 3**

**To all my readers, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for your time and effort. It really does mean the world to me.**


	18. Partners

**_Partners_**

Ziva found her husband, sulking, on the bench by the pool, outside. She joined him silently, placing herself delicately in his lap, somewhat relieved when he took ahold of her and pulled her close. At least he wasn't holing himself up behind emotional brick walls. There was several minutes of silence, the only the sounds the soft hum of the pool filter and lights, before he spoke.

" Is she still crying?'

" No. I spoke to her, calmed her and sent her to bed."

" Good."

Another silence. This one lasted, again, for several minutes, before Tony spoke again.

" I didn't mean to lost my temper."

" I know, Tony."

He sighed agitatedly, shifting in his place.

" It's just...I don't like it, y'know? The thought of her...with him...The boys, it doesn't bother me at all. But...it's _Abi._"

He gnawed his lip, Ziva watching his with those deep eyes, letting him vent in his own time.

" Besides, the guy's a jackass. I've seen him, read his profile-"

" Got McGee to hack into his cell, read up on his background, I know."

Her husband blushed slightly, ashamed.

" How did you-"

" I'm your wife, Tony. Wife _and_ partner. I know you better than you know yourself."

" It was for good reason!"

" Abigail would be most furious if she knew."

" That's why she'll never find this one out."

Ziva laughed softly, leaning her head against his broad chest, absent-mindedly trailing her fingers across it.

" You have to let her grow up, Tony."

He stiffened at this, as Ziva knew he would. It was several moments before he replied.

" I know, I know. I just...I'm not ready to, not yet. She's only 16. And I know, at 16, you were off killing whoever in the middle of some god-forsaken jungle. And I was sleeping with anyone that would open their legs, and doing some questionable stuff, but...that's not how we brought her up. We gave her a safe, loving, supportive home so that she could enjoy her childhood, y'know? Not _need_ to grow up quickly, be able to be a kid for just that bit longer. Why the rush?"

" You can lead a goat to water, Tony."

" Horse. It's 'lead a horse'."

He received a playful smack in the ribs for the comment, which he took with good grace and a laugh.

" She's not a child anymore, Tony. She's a young woman, wanting to find her feet, to step away from that little girl, branch out, spread her wings. We've done our job, we've brought her to this. Now it's time to perhaps start handing her the reigns a little more, let her carve her own path?"

Tony made a face, but nodded rather reluctantly.

" I guess. But he's a tool! She could do so much better, I'm meant to look after her! He's going to hurt her. Her whole life I've spent looking after her for this jerk to break her heart?"

His wife straightened up, so that she was face to face with him, carefully wrapping her arms around his neck, letting her fingers tangle in his hair softly.

" And your job now is to be there for her, when she needs you. To _advise_ her, and help guide her, and be there to pick up the pieces when things inevitably go wrong. You can't stop it happening, love, but you can be there for her."

Tony smiled, gently squeezing her.

" I do always wonder how you know me just so well."

Ziva laughed again, leaning in to plant a soft kiss on his lips.

" I'm your partner, remember? Good partnerships only work when you truly understand your other half. Besides, I've had plenty of practice speaking and reading 'Tony-speak'. I've been married to you now for how long?"

Tony cleared his throat with a grin.

" 19 years, my love."

Ziva laughed, rolling her eyes dramatically.

" 19 years, is that all? It feels like so much longer..."

Tony feigned hurt, resulting in them both laughing before falling silent again, his free hand finding and gently curling her fingers with his. Ziva tucked her head under his chin, closing her eyes with a smile. His voice, however, broke her peace, and there was worry, laced with a guilt, in the usually smooth tones.

" She's going to hate me."

Ziva scoffed lightly, tapping him on the chest with her free hand.

" She couldn't hate you. Girl's loved you since day one. All girls are daddy's girls, regardless of how their father treats them. I can tell you that."

Tony paused, reading between the lines of what exactly his wife had said, before deciding to leave it. It was a can of worms that he would rather not delve into, tonight of all nights. Instead, he sat back, enjoying the peace their small conversation had brought him, feeling his eyelids start to droop. Ziva gave him a gentle nudge, pulling him to his feet with a smile.

" Come on, my little hairy butt. 'I got your six, boss'."

Tired as he was, Tony managed a short laugh, stumbling after her back into the trashed house with a content sigh.

**Special mention to The Lady Grace: To answer your questions! 1) Timmy is camping out at Grandpa Gibbs'. I don't think Tiva trusted the elder two _just_ enough to look after the little one. Besides, Timmy loves his grandpa 3 and 2) She's counting Tony (:**


	19. Home

**Warning folks: dark fic up ahead.**

**Regardless of your view on DiNozzo Sr, you've gotta admit, the guy must've been a jerk of a father to have as a kid. The following is just kinda how I interpreted a lot of what Tony's said across the series. Obviously, criticisms and the like are always welcome in the reviews! :)**

Tony had never really had a 'home', in the typical sense.

Sure, there was a house, that he came 'home' to each day after school, but he hated it. Hated every single moment of being there. Perhaps that was a little dramatic, but it wasn't a happy home. Once his mother died, any real life from the house disappeared, as his father drank himself to the bottom of every and any bottle, and Tony faded more and more into the background. He tended to keep himself to himself, and put as much distance between Senior and himself as was humanly possible. It was clear that his father had no interest in his company, Tony had no desire to be drunkenly screamed at for something that he'd never done, or said, or even thought of, and he'd be damned if he let the maids finger the bruises and mutter in Spanish about him. It was lonely in the enormous DiNozzo mansion, and a young Tony had made a promise to himself, during another lonely afternoon, to never allow his children to grow up like this, to never become his father, to never allow his own house to cease to become a 'home'.

So when he and Ziva eventually married, and she fell pregnant, that promise was always at the back of his mind. They moved out of his apartment, bought a family home, with a pool and a garden, and Tony spent his free time personally painting and decorating the nursery, with his wife's assistance. Once his son was born, Tony spent as much time as was feasibly possible with him, even if it was just with the sleeping baby on his chest whilst he watched the game on TV. He tried, somewhat hopefully at first, to picture his own father doing the same, but couldn't. He struggled to remember a time before the drunken Senior, back when he was certain he must have enjoyed his childhood, but again, couldn't. Rather than wallow in it, he focused on putting everything into he and his son's relationship. The camcorder rarely left his hand, and Tony made sure that anything the boy did was documented. There was hundreds of photos taken, and place up around the house, much to Ziva's delight, and Tony could normally be found watching his son sleep, often falling asleep himself, head in his arms, balanced on the crib.

Ziva, for her part, didn't pry too deeply; she'd figured long ago that Tony would speak when ready. It had taken several years, but eventually he'd told her just why he was so...family focused. It had made smiling at DiNozzo Senior difficult for some time, but eventually, she realised that if Tony had put it behind him, it was not her place to drag it back. For her, it was comforting; after the horrors of her childhood, the terror, losing Tali, she wanted a peaceful, loving place to call home. Tony, for all his wooing and bravado and his reputation at work, was very different behind closed doors, something Ziva had learnt quickly to love and appreciate. At home, he worshipped the ground she walked on, and she often wound up lazing on the sofa in his lap, content to lie and let him whisper sweet nothings in her ear all afternoon.

Of course, that changed once little Tony arrived, and the pair found themselves almost at breaking point several times, this only increasing as Abi, then Timmy, joined the family. It didn't happen often, but there were moments. Once the children were old enough to be aware, during the arguments where frustrations had boiled over and usually shouting began, Tony always walked out before he even raised his voice, leaving a seething Ziva behind, screaming after him that he was a coward, and to come back and face her. It would be several hours later, usually once the children were in bed, that Tony would slip back into the house, often finding his wife on the sofa, the television on, but her mind in a far different place. He would join her, and it would be a good few minutes before she relented and shuffled into his lap, and he held her close, and they murmured soft apologies to each other. Ziva had always questioned why he chose to walk, rather than argue, but again, realised it was something that Tony had a backstory to, like much of his character. It had come out during a particularly emotional conversation, for both of them, and Ziva had never again questioned her husband's choice of action.

_" My youngest memory?"_

_Tony nodded, his fingers pressing lightly into her skin in the soft glow of the fire. Ziva thought about the question for a moment, before a loving smile lit her face._

_" I was just a child. Me, and Ari and Tali, playing hide and seek in the house, with Mother. That was a long time ago, far before any of the real...violence began."_

_Tony's grip on her tightened gently, and she looked at him, a sadness appearing in her eyes._

_" A long time ago."_

_He nodded softly, fingers lazily playing with her hair. Ziva prodded him softly, changing the mood._

_" And you, Master DiNozzo? Your first sailor suit? Piano lesson?"_

_Tony snorted with laughter, shuffling in his place._

_" Me? Let me see..."_

_He let out a sigh, casting his memory back, and Ziva watched as his face adopted the goofy grin he plastered on whenever a particularly painful memory hit._

_" My mother. It was of my mother. She was..."_

_He laughed weakly, eyes fixed on something he couldn't see, the grin fading._

_" She was off her face. 'One too many martinis, Anthony!'. My dad, he was so angry. I guess, on hindsight, he'd probably been drinking too. I was meant to be in bed, the nanny would have gone berserk if she'd known I was up. They were stood in the middle of one of the halls, screaming at each other, both red in the face, y'know? Then my dad, he...he grabbed her by the wrist, dragged her into the bedroom, slammed the door, and..."_

_Tony winced, as if the memory had burnt him. _

_" 'Must've fallen down the stairs, Tony, mustn't I? She couldn't play tennis for days, her wrist was..."_

_He trailed off, eyes finding hers, leaning his forehead gently against the side of her head, breath tickling her ear, and murmured softly._

_" I could never imagine...even having the thought of laying a finger on...on you or...or one of the kids..."_

_His voice trembled slightly as he said, and Ziva instantly turned to face him, putting a soft finger on his lips, a fire in her eyes._

_" You're not him, Tony."_

Tony never grew old of coming home. Of opening the door, and having excited yells of 'Dad!' meet his ears and three children demanding piggy backs and cuddles, thrusting pictures and toys in his face, and quickly retelling all of the days events. And at night, when he crawled into bed, laying next to him was the woman he loved, his beautiful wife who found his lips, smiled, curled herself around him and reminded him just how much he loved her.


	20. Passing

**This one is specially for nancy k. nkwhimseycornergmai, who despite not being a Tiva fan, is still reading :D Thank you so much, and I hop you enjoy!**

**To everyone else, thank you for your reviews/comments/time! You should all know by now how much I love you guys!**

**_Passing_**

Gibbs' pleasures in life had always been, since Shannon and Kelly's deaths anyway, his bourbon and his woodwork. Rarely, something else crept in, such as a wife or a Lt Colonel, but it never seemed to last long. He was scarce with what mattered in life, taking his time to ensure that whatever he chose to devote to was worth it; so far, these two, plus his team, were the only things he'd found. That was until his grandchildren had come along.

He cared not that, biologically, they weren't related to him; it wasn't really a major issue. Tony was practically his son ( he was a damn sight better than any biological grandfather the kids had, thank you very much) and his name had been the one written in the two agents' will, in regards to the guardian for their children. He loved Abby and McGee's kids, but there was something about the DiNozzo clan that was different. Perhaps it was the lack of family; they had no biological aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents that they saw. The team was their family. Leroy and Jen had two sets of loving grandparents, and an aunt, with extended family. Tony, Abi and Tim had him, the McGees, Ducky and Palmer. They'd met Eli once, and DiNozzo Senior a grand total of 3 times. Aside from that, they were alone in the world, and Gibbs stepped in to fill that very large hole.

Having the grandkids round to his house was like therapy for him. To hear the house filled with laughter, and squealing; _life_, in general, to remind him that he wasn't just a lonely old man, left with his drink and his boats, that his life had some sort of reward, that wasn't in the shape of medals and titles.

Tony and Ziva had left him all three of them for a night at Gibbs' suggestion, and had disappeared to some swanky restaurant to make up for the fact that they'd had to work on their anniversary (Tony had looked positively murderous as he'd cancelled the table). It was starting to get late, but all three were still wide awake, accompanying him in the basement, small hands amateur experts at sanding after the hours spent in his company. There was chatter between them, with the occasional giggle or laugh, and to Jethro, the basement had never been warmer. He sanded with a smile on his face, a tiny Timmy dozing on and off next to him on his blanket.

Abi pushed herself off of the table, tottering over to the side bench with a curious look on her face, as though something had caught her eye. Gibbs glanced up, watching as she clambered up and pulled a photo tacked to the wall to her. She paused for a moment, before looking over at him, pointing at the photo with a curious look on her face.

" Who's dis, Grandpa?"

Tony immediately stopped sanding, skipping over to join his sister, peering over her shoulder, face furrowed in concentration.

" Yeah, who is she, Gramps?"

Jethro left his seat, glancing back to check Timmy was asleep, before leaning over with a soft smile to look at the photo.

" That's my little girl, Kelly."

Abi and Tony glanced at each other, confused, before back at him, Abi starting hesitantly.

" But...you don't have a little girl, Grandpa..."

Gibbs gently took the photo and tacked it back to the wall, sat on the sidebench, scooped Abi into his arms and pulled Tony up to sit next to him.

" No, not anymore."

Abi glanced over at the photo, before back at him.

" She's very pretty... What happened to her?"

Jethro paused before continuing with a soft, sad smile.

" She died, a long time ago."

Both children's faces clouded over, and Abi looked practically tearful as she snuggled into him.

" _Oh..._Poor Grandpa. I'm sowwy."

Jethro laughed softly, pulling them both in for a tight hug.

" It was a long time ago, before I even knew your mum or dad."

Tony whistled softly, shuffling himself into Gibbs' lap. Jethro continued, mussing the boy's hair softly.

" Besides, I have you two and your brother to look after now, don't I?"

Both children giggled, nodding feverently.

" Uh-huh! And we're your favouritist, aren't we Grandpa!"

" Course we are! We're much better than McGeek and Jenny!"

Gibbs' gave Tony a soft swat to the back of his head with a chuckle.

" Be nice about Leroy, huh? He's a good kid."

" He a geeeeek! He plays these silly games and he's an elf lord! How stooopid is that? Elf lords aren't even real."

Abi reached over and smacked Tony, Gibbs' style, with an offended look on her face.

" Don't be so _nasty_, Tony! Mama's told you not to, and I'll tell her you're not listening! Leroy's not stupid, he's very clever."

Jethro watched with a hint of amusement on his face at Abi's demands, and how quickly her brother was silenced at the threat of his mother. Cutting in before another argument could start, he tipped Tony off of his lap, and set Abi down, pointing up the stairs.

" C'mon, it's getting late. How about hot cocoa, and bed?"

" And a stoooory!"

" Two stories!"

" About the Marines!"

" And Mama and Daddy!"

" And the gremlin and Ducky!"

" And Uncle Tim and Aunty Abi!"

Jethro gave them both a gentle shove as he walked past to collect the youngest, who barely stirred as he was picked up, except to snuffle and burrow into his grandfather's embrace with a soft sigh. He had to admit, he'd missed the laughter and simple peaceful feeling that being around children brought him. Just as he finished that thought, there was a slap and a wail from upstairs.

Scratch that peaceful thought.

* * *

><p>Much later, when Tony and Abi had fallen asleep and were safely tucked in bed, dreaming of snipers and crime scenes, Jethro sat back, absentmindedly watching the television as he gave the youngest his night-time bottle. Timmy's deep brown eyes never left his face as he finished drinking and it was almost unnerving how deeply into his soul those eyes peered.<p>

" Content?"

The boy made no indication that he'd heard, not that he was expecting a reply. Gibbs shifted him to the crook of one arm, dabbing gently at stray milk around his mouth.

" You're getting more like your mama, Timmy, with those eyes and those curls."

Again, the baby made no response, simply staring back at the man. Gibbs' gently tickled him under the chin, and Timmy finally broke his gaze, giggling.

" Atta boy. You looked far too serious for my liking, little one. All too much like your mama. You know, she's a very serious woman. On the outside at least. I guess she has to be, being married to your father, the biggest jokester that ever graced NCIS. But how he loves you. You, and Abi, and Tony. Apples of his eye, aren't you? And your mama. And definitely grandpa."

He tickled the baby again, watching him squeal with a smile, before reminding himself that he had just been fed, and he'd rather not have to deal with a puking baby at this time of night. He flicked off the television and headed upstairs, silently tiptoeing into the bedroom. At the foot of his bed, Tony and Abi were curled up on a large mattress, fast asleep. Once they were older, he planned to convert Kelly's old room into a room suitable for them to stay. But as of now, he wasn't sure he trusted either of them to be alone in a room, not if he wanted them and it in one piece at the end. At one side of the bed, a large, dark wood crib sat; Kelly's, of course, but now used to house any small house guests. Jethro planted a gentle kiss on Timmy's head and placed him in said cot, before climbing into his own bed.

He missed Kelly, and Shannon, it was impossible to escape that. And when the house had fallen silent after the kids had been taken home, he missed them more than ever. But it wasn't the same sad, grief-filled longing. It was more questioning; would Kelly have had kids by now? Would he still be at NCIS? Would he even be at NCIS? Would he have known Tony, and Ziva, and the rest of his team?

Pushing the thoughts to the back of his mind, he glanced back over at the now sleeping baby in the crib, and smiled. The past was the past, and that was where it stayed. Now, he had three new troubles to worry about.


	21. Lovers

**Apologies for the slow update, work has caught up with me the past few days!**

**_Lovers_**

The mall.

For Tony, it was a place where his wallet seemed to be unable to stay shut, mainly thanks to his children. Timmy wanted the newest video game, Tony suddenly realised that his old football shirts simply wouldn't do, and Abi demanded very near a full new wardrobe. Not to mention how tempting buying most of the video stall was for the actual owner of the wallet.

But it wasn't just for the monetary reasons that Tony avoided the mall. Mainly, he always seemed to run into people that, frankly, he would rather avoid like the plague (excusing the rather terrible pun; that was a still a sore point with him). Old college friends that seemed to just appear were always a nuisance. But the bigger threat?

Past lovers.

It was always a dangerous gamble going to the mall, but Tony had decided to take it today. After 3 hours of shopping, and laden with bags, the trek back to the car park was almost a relief. Almost. As they stepped outside into the sun however, his day hit a snag.

_"_"_Tony_?"

He nearly dropped the bags in shock, whilst his children turned to eye up the speaker with a look of puzzlement. Tony turned around, and felt his stomach churn as a blonde almost tackled him with a hug, instantly wishing to disappear, melt, dissolve, whatever was quickest.

" Oh my God! It is you! Tony DiNozzo!"

" Ah, y-yeah, EJ. Sh-Shouldn't you be in R-"

" Rota? No, I'm on leave for a couple of weeks. Owed time and all that."

Tony nodded several times, taking in the blonde before him. She hadn't changed much, a few more extra wrinkles, but still the same EJ as years ago. There was silence, before she spoke again, a coy smile writing across her features.

" It's been a long time since we last saw each ot-"

" He's married."

Tony could barely hide the smirk that ached to appear, as his daughter appeared from behind him, shopping placed on the floor, arms folded, looking incredibly like her mother when Tony had had one too many to drink. EJ visibly recoiled, eyes widening at the sight of the girl in front of her, before her usual, slightly smug smile appeared.

" I'd say she was a little young for you, Tony, but then again, you always managed to surprise me."

Abi stammered, horror crossing her face.

" H-He's my d-"

" Dad. I'm very much aware. You have his eyes. Although, it's very clear that you take most of your looks from your mother..."

She turned to Tony, an eyebrow raised, somewhat amused.

" So when did you and Agent David shack up then?"

Tony Junior let out a snort of laughter, as his father's trademark grin appeared.

" Married, actually. 17 years."

EJ actually had the gaul to look surprised.

" Married? Never thought I'd see the day. And obviously, now living the family life now, yes?"

Her eyes cast over the three children, the eldest of whom stepped forward with his hand outstreched, his father's megawatt grin plastered across his face.

" Anthony DiNozzo. Junior. Well, technically Junior Junior but-"

" She gets it, kiddo."

The father gave him a light swat on the head and tugged him back with a smirk. Abi remained where she stood, eyeballing EJ as she looked at her.

" And this must be your daughter?"

" Abigail."

Tony gave her a gentle nudge, receiving a cold look in return. Abi eyed the woman again, giving her a brief smile, before returning to her steely glare. EJ smiled, attempting to alleviate the tension and ignore the dark looks she was getting from the girl, and looked towards the youngest DiNozzo, who was engrossed in his iPod. Tony gave an apologetic shrug.

" That's Timmy, but he tends to be a little quieter. World of his own."

EJ nodded, smiling again, before Abi cut in, sarcasm almost dripping from her voice.

" Well, this _has _been fascinating but Mum wanted us home early because, in case forgot _Dad, _we're going to Aunt Abby and Uncle Tim's tonight."

With a short cough, Abi picked up the bags, took the keys from her father, and headed towards the car, Timmy absentmindedly trotting behind her. Tony glanced towards his father, before shrugging, and following his siblings. Tony chuckled, looking to EJ.

" Got them well trained, Ziva. You know kids. So...how's Rota?"

The woman shrugged, eyes meeting his.

" Same as always. Not much ever changes. How's the team?"

" Gibbs retired, I took over. McGee, Ziva, still there. Ducky retired, Palmer's in charge now. Abby, of course, is still with us. She and McGee got married, got two brats of their own."

There was another silence as Tony stopped talking, the two simply looking at each other. A loud honking behind them signaled that a) his eldest was driving his Ferrari and b) his very impatient daughter was becoming more impatient by the minute.

" Listen, I better get going, but hey, it, eh...It was nice seeing you."

EJ nodded, a small smile appearing as she leant forward and gave him a somewhat awkward hug.

" Take care of yourself, Tony."

Tony watched her walk away from him, before another honk of the horn sounded, and he moved from his spot, dumping the shopping in the boot before climbing into the front seat. As his son pulled away, his daughter was quick to lean forward, as far as her belt would allow.

" _So?_"

Tony glanced out of the corner of his eye at her.

" So what?"

" Who was she?"

Tony scoffed lightly.

" A friend."

Abi reached a hand forward, taking a grip of her father's ear.

" You tell me who she was, or I'm calling Mum, and telling her you were flirting with-"

" Hey! I wasn't flirting!"

" Flirting with an unknown blonde."

Tony Junior scoffed, receiving a glare from his father.

" Hey, eyes on the road, kiddo. We'll discuss why exactly you're in the drivers seat of my car, which you are expressly banned from, when we get home. If we get home. I swear you drive like your mother."

" ANSWER ME!"

Both Tonys visibly jumped, Abigail glaring darkly at her father. The elder sighed, glancing at the girl, and shrugging.

" An old friend. Used to work at NCIS with me."

Abigail watched for a moment, before settling back in her seat, eyes still suspicious. There was a moment of silence, before a slight cough from the smaller Tony. His father glanced towards him, as the boy wiggled a eyebrow. There was a shared smirk between father and son, before Abi burst out.

" You SLEPT with her?"

Tony nearly choked, turning around to face her.

" You gave Tony the look! Men are DISGUSTING! EVERY time we go out, you meet an old friend! I don't know how Mum can put up with it!"

Tony recoiled slightly, shuffling back around to face the front, muttering under his breath. His mood took a sharp decline as, with Tony pulling into the drive, his wife appeared at the front door, arms folded, looking somewhat murderous.

" How, in the name of God, does she know?"

Timmy giggled slightly, meeting his father's suspicious eye over the top of his iPod, turning it around to show a picture of a hugging Tony and EJ.

" I may have text her, by accident of course. Now, for the picture, I'll take bids starting at $20, _Pop_."

Tony gritted his teeth, silently cursing his second son, as he slyly slid a $20 bill to him, out of view of his wife. The boy grinned, exiting the vehicle with a satisfied sigh, his brother and sister equally amused. Tony glared at them, stepping out and steeling himself for his wife's interrogation.

He suddenly regretted the playboy in him, for all those years of casual nights and flirtations.


	22. Sunrise

**_Sunrise_**

Although both Timmy and Tony were poles apart in character, there was several traits they shared, one of which Ziva blamed entirely on their father; their inability to get up. Growing up, as small children, early morning tantrums and shouting matches were far too common. Abi had inherited her mother's 'early worm' tendencies, and but the boys were a test to Ziva's patience.

This morning was no different. A Sunday, with neither Ziva or Tony on-call, but with a promise to attend a christening of one of Ziva's friends child. Abi was already up and dressed, lazily watching the morning news of a bowl of Cap'n Crunch. After no reply for either her sons or husband, Ziva took matters into her own hands.

Marching into Timmy's room, she yanked open the curtains, flooding the room with morning sunlight. A head of curls emitted a groan, pushing himself off of the bed, duvet still wrapped around his body, and shuffled from the room, despite his mother's protests, and into his brother's room, collapsing on top of another duvet-ed figure, who didn't even bother to protest, simply moved over for him.

Ziva appeared at the door, a highly unamused look on her face.

" Timothy. Anthony."

Twin mumbles were her response, much to Ziva's continued annoyance. Under the covers, the brothers look at each other, muttering in hushed voices.

" This isn't going well, bro."

" Nu-uh. We need to bossman."

" Got it."

" BOYS."

Flinching at their mother's voice, the two sat up and climbed out of bed, duvets on their shoulders.

" Up, Mum."

Ziva nodded with approval, turning around and heading down the hallway to the stairs. Her feet had barely reached the top step when a pair of boxer-clad, lanky teenagers tip-toed across the hall behind her, into the master bedroom.

" Dad."

There was a grunt from the elder DiNozzo, who rolled over and cracked an eye open, meeting his sons' look.

" Problem?"

" She's making us get up.

" She opened my curtains."

Tony winced, before lifting the duvet, nodding approvingly.

" You earned it."

The boys crawled in, suddenly five years old again, and snuggled up to Tony, who lazily wrapped an arm around either of them, drawing them in, sharing a soft laugh with them at the absurdity of it. It took all of 5 minutes for all three to be snoring peacefully again.

" Anthony? Timothy? Where are you? I swear, if you're playing mind games, you'll be so-"

Ziva stopped, retracing back to her own bedroom door, staring, mouth agape, at the bundle of DiNozzo under the duvets. A smile tugged at her lips; the scene _was_ rather cute. However, the time idly ticking away was present in her mind, and she turned, shouting down to her daughter.

" Fancy getting Timothy's air rifle from the garage for me, sweetheart?"


	23. Drink

**Thank you for all of your lovely comments and reviews; they make me happier than Abby with Caf-Pow, and that says a lot. It really does mean so much that you are all still reading, and enjoying the one-shots. **

**Shalom to you all!**

**_Drink_**

Tony had always had a somewhat tentative relationship with alcohol. After watching his father pickle his own liver as a child, he'd sworn never to drink. Of course, then he'd been introduced to the boarding school, then college lifestyle, and there were many a night he couldn't remember, or had spent in a drunken haze, much to his delight. The nights spent clubbing, and drinking, as he'd grown older seemed to tick on and on, until one particular morning. He'd awoken up on his floor, smelling of bar, and smoke, and general stale. His hangover had lasted nearly two days, and he'd finally been forced to admit that he was no longer a party-loving teenager; more, a party-loving middle aged man. It had been a large blow to his pride.

Ziva, on the other hand, tended to avoid much to do with alcohol; she believed it was possible to have an extremely good evening minus a large intake of the stuff. Not that she didn't enjoy a glass of wine, or perhaps a cocktail or two, but just that. She had her own vices, and alcohol was far from it.

So with their children, there had always a slight butting of heads. Tony was far more lenient, a beer here, a glass of wine there, much to his wife's chagrin. It had taken a long time for Tony to convince Ziva that, yes, the law did state 21, but surely one beer while they were watching the game wasn't out of the question for their eldest at 18. And Abi was a young woman, a glass of wine on her birthday was perfectly acceptable; Timmy's desire to sip a glass of bourbon, however, was quickly denied by both parents (Tony was more afraid there'd be boats in their basement next). Tony fought that a relaxed approach to drink would ensure that, when the time came for parties, the children were less tempted to push the boundaries, and more responsible with their drinks.

At least, that was his idea. However, his children had always had a horrible way of surprising him. So it was that, at 2am as he dozed happily, Tony's cell began to vibrate. Groggy, he picked it up, glancing at the name; it was his eldest. Awareness suddenly came to him; Tony had been a party, promised to be home by 1. He silently slid away from the bed, praying to some God somewhere, that his wife remained asleep, and crept into the hall, flicking open the phone, voice barely above a whisper.

" Tony?"

"_ Heeeeey! Dad! Pops! Old man! How are ya!"_

" Tony what the...how much have you had to drink?"

" _Not muuuch, I swear! Just some beer. Oh, and the guys were doing jaegerbombs, you know how good those things are? And margaritaaaas, and tequila shots! One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, FLOOR."_

Tony felt himself mentally Gibbs-smacking the boy.

" So where are you?"

"_ Umm...gas station at 4th? I kinda wandered off and tried to get home..."_

" Tony, that's 15 miles away!"

_" Pro-athlete Dad! I'mma proooo!"_

" I'm coming to get you kid, stay where you are."

Tony hung up with a sigh, creeping back into the bedroom to grab a pair of sweats and a tee, holding his breath in hopes of his wife staying asleep; she could be furious in the morning, not at 2am. He crept downstairs, cursing the floorboard that creaked slightly, and scaring himself silly as the front door clicked. Once inside the car, and pulling out of the drive, he focused on his son. The gas station at 4th. He could've sworn the party was the other side of town.

As he pulled in to the gas station, Tony initially panicked; there was no sign of the boy. Pulling up and getting out, however, the pounding in his heart he hadn't even noticed beginning calmed, at the sight of his eldest leaning against the side of the station shop, having a conversation with the empty newspaper stand.

" So I said to her, babe, you've got a fine pair...and she slapped me. I thought it was quite charming."

" Didn't you ever pick up those one-liners I taught you?"

Tony Jr's face lit up, enveloping his father in a large hug, before somewhat collapsing on him.

" Easy, kiddo. Let's get home huh?"

He wrapped an arm around him, carefully helping him over to the car, seating him in the passenger seat and clicking his belt on. Once in the driver's seat, Tony leant down, pulling a fast food bag out, and handed it to his son.

" Woah Dad. It's like...EPS. PSE. ESP! I'm starving..."

Tony couldn't help but chuckle as he began the drive home, radio on in the background, his passenger slurping happily on a large milkshake and chowing down a double cheeseburger.

" So, a good night then?"

The younger DiNozzo nodded furiously, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

" Yeah, awesome! We played Ring of Fire, I remembered all your tips, the girls had a wet t-shirt contest. Kirsty McSmith, I mean..."

He wolf whistled, holding his hands in front of his chest with a rather crude gesture of impossibly large breasts. His father chuckled, shaking his head, running his tounge over the front of his teeth.

" So how come you end up this far away, off your face and alone?"

Tony froze in his impersonation, glancing over at his father, who simply looked back, catching his eye with an eyebrow raised, before fixing his own back on the road.

" Dad, I...I'm sorry."

Tony said nothing, his eyes still fixed on the road as he spoke.

" You know? I remember this one time, when I was home from boarding school? I must've been...16. Maybe 17. Went to a friend's birthday, and ended up hardly able to walk. My dad, he wanted nothing to do with it, told me to get my own way home or find someplace else to sleep. Wouldn't even send one of the guards out for me. Ended up sleeping in someone's bath tub..."

His son snorted, stuffing his mouth full of fries.

" There'a point to th' 'tory?"

Tony shrugged.

" Nah, not really. Just...reliving my youth. And don't apologize, it's a-"

" Sign of weakness."

That brought a smile to the elder's face.

" I've taught you well kid."

There was a comfortable silence between the two, before the younger, somewhat sobering up now, spoke.

" You ain't mad?'

" Should I be?"

" Well, you had to come out and pick me up, I'm not quite sober, it's 2am, you've got work tomorrow..."

" So...?"

Father and son looked at each other again.

" It's my job, son. I'm your old man."

" I'm drunk?"

" C'mon, Tony. I didn't grow up in a convent. Sure, I'm a little disappointed you got in this state and wandered off. We'd never have known if you'd been kidnapped. But as for the drink? You're a kid, live a little. Do some shots, dance your ass off, make out with some hot blonde, stumble home. I'd be more worried if you weren't."

His son sat back, amused, and clearly relieved. As they pulled up in the drive, Tony flicked the lights off as quickly as possible and motioned for his son to be silent.

" Your mother was asleep when I left. Work this right, you can be in your bed and just feeling a little under the weather tomorrow, alright? I don't think they did tequila shots in Israel..."

With expert precision and care, learnt through combined years of sneaking in after nights out, or stealing midnight cookies, the two DiNozzos crept upstairs, one stumbling and using the other as a crutch. It took less than two minutes to get the boy in his bed, and he was almost out cold, sprawled out and snoring happily. Tony chuckled softly, leaning down to kiss the teen's forehead and tug his duvet up around him.

Slipping back through to the master bedroom, stripping and sliding back into bed next to his (thankfully) still asleep wife, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ziva rolled over, snuggling into him with a content sigh, and Tony had just closed his eyes when he felt lips at his ear.

" More responsible with his drink, right?"

Tony groaned, as wife laughed darkly, rolling back over. He hated it when she was right.


	24. He

**This is a drabble-y one, Ziva point of view, with some DiNozzo brood lovin'! :)**

**_He_**

Over the years, Ziva's opinion of Tony had gone through rapid changes.

At the beginning, on surface level, on first impressions, he'd be a womanizing, filthy minded, slacker with too much arrogance and a love of himself that exceeded everything else.

Of course, he was still a womanizing, filthy minded, slacker with too much arrogance, and he did love himself. On that last part, however, she had been completely, utterly wrong (something she did not often admit to).

Tony loved her. Far more than himself.

At first, it had been a tentative, nervous kind of love. Looking back now, Ziva understood. All the hurt he'd ever received had been because of love; his mother, his father, Jeanne, particularly the latter. He'd been careful, it was never mentioned at work, he was somewhat jumpy when they were alone, it took several months for an 'I love you'. Once that had been said, however, there was a change in her partner. He was far more relaxed, seemingly more comfortable with the boyfriend title and role, and things suddenly went into a 'honeymoon' stage.

There were many late nights, both in and out of bed. As time passed, the two fell into a natural pattern, and their relationship was second learnt to know each other better than they knew themselves. And only when that happened did Ziva get a real window into Tony's mind.

He was gentle with her, loving, romantic; he spoilt her, and Ziva lapped it up with abandon. It was nice, for once, to let herself relax, to forget Mossad, NCIS, her father, her training, everything, and just be the little girl that had found her Prince Charming, blushing, giggling, and very much in love. Of course, only at home behind closed doors. After McGee and Abby had followed them to a dinner date, they were far more careful about their choice of venue, and PDAs. Gibbs had never really let them live it down, right after his dressing down of Tony for breaking Rule Twelve.

But through it all, they stuck with it; Ziva got to know him until she could finish his sentences before he began them, and he learnt quickly how to read her in an instant. After they were married, Ziva thought she'd finally snagged him, that he loved her more than anything. Boy, how wrong she was.

When she'd first found out she was pregnant, she'd panicked; they'd never quite discussed having children just yet, they both had their career. On a personal note, Ziva wasn't all too sure she was ready to be a mother, she had so many demons from her past, and doubts in her mind. But Abby had been so supportive (of course she'd gone to Abby for the test, out of sheer panic), and she'd finally swallowed her fear and told him. His reaction had been a surprise; he'd stared at her for what seemed like hours, before bursting into the largest grin she'd ever seen him wear. From there on, he'd been somewhat fixated on the idea of being a father.

They spent many a night curled up on the sofa, Tony relying the happenings of the movie to the small bump on his wife's abdomen (he insisted it would give the kid a head start in being a movie buff), and he barely ever grumbled at being sent out for craving food at ridiculous hours of the night. He spent hours getting Gibbs to show him how to build a crib (in the end, it was more of a 'joint project'), and the nursery was his own handiwork. And when Tony was finally born, Ziva knew instantly that she'd never again be number one, much to her delight.

Tony was a natural father, something Ziva had known he would be for years. His own fears and nerves at suddenly being in charge of this small child melted away after several weeks of late nights, early mornings, puke, diapers and crying. Their son brought out the best in her husband; the gentle, loving, _good_ man that he was, the one behind the flirtatious jokester, and now he had a baby in his arms rather than a woman, Tony was allowed to drop the charade a little more. He often took their son into work on 'desk-job' days, simply to show him off. In Tony's defense, he was a beautiful baby; a large pair of his father's eyes, a light brown fuzz that quickly grew to a full head of silky hair, and as soon as he could manage it, his father's wide, cheeky, grin, that somehow managed to look innocent on his chubby cheeks. He rarely cried, making him all the more adorable, and Tony quite happily shipped him around the office for a chorus of coos and aws.

Ziva knew, somewhere inside her, that most of what Tony did was for the baby. He was devoted to say the least, and she had never felt safer, more settled, in her entire life. Then Abigail came along, and Ziva met a new level of Tony; with his daughter, he was practically a slave. He was far gentler, softer, so un-Tony like that Ziva did worry for a while, before giving in that it was just the baby girl's effect on him. Abigail was beautiful too, his eyes (again), but her mother's face, darker skin than her brother, and dark brown hair from day one. Tony adored her, and Ziva loved him all the more for it. She would silently watch him play with Abi, and Tony, and admire how easily Tony went from agent to daddy in a matter of seconds.

Of course, with two young children, it was impossible for both of them to work full time (Tony refused to leave them with a nanny, flat out) and Ziva became a stay at home mum, with a tendency to 'accidentally' acquire case files. Tony upped his hours, pushing papers well into the night, and Ziva couldn't help but feel guilty; she'd left him to shoulder the financial side, at least, that was how it felt. Tony, however, assured her over and over that he had no issues with it, far happier that she was getting time with their children than trying to simply 'fit them in'. Secretly, Ziva loved it. She could relax, be a mother, enjoy the young children that now filled most of her life, and she knew, somehow, someway, that Tony knew that all too well. It was a happy family life, something she'd never known, and something she loved Tony for giving her, albeit if she never said it.

By the time Timmy was born, they were old hands at the parent game. Their second son hadn't been planned, both were content with their two, but never the less,was loved utterly and completely (although, they'd agreed that this was the last time they left the children with Gibbs and went out for a night on the town with McGee and Abby, at least to nightclubs). Timmy was so different from either Abi or Tony that both parents agreed that they still had a lot to learn. His little face was often found frowning, or simply staring around him. It wasn't that he was an unhappy baby (when he laughed, the whole room lit up), it was just that he was far more observant, and almost mature, than either of his siblings. Ziva was 'over the sun' (moon, as Tony pointed out, receiving an elbow for it) that at least one of their children had inherited her dark eyes, as well as the tight, dark curls on his head.

Ziva, however, itched to return to work. She loved the children, but nearly 3 years of being (somewhat) 'part-time' left her with a desire to be back in the field. They brokered a deal, Ziva back part time, with Tony at home the times she was in, and a sitter on standby, to fill in when they were both needed. It worked for the two of them; Ziva loved being back at work, and it would've been a massive understatement to say how much Tony enjoyed staying at home with the kids. Ziva would often come home to all three children engrossed in a movie, usually one of Tony's favourites, and her husband in the kitchen. One thing Ziva did admire was his ability in the kitchen; the man could damn well cook. Of course, she rarely said this, as it then entailed the Italian accent appearing, then Italian speaking, and that damned proud grin, which she was (horribly) hopeless to resist.

She'd been warned by so many when she first announced they were dating, that he would hurt her, play her, use her. She'd persisted, arguing that he may not be perfect, but was pretty damn close to it in her eyes. It had convinced few, namely those that knew him, and by the time she was engaged to him, she was still being warned.

A perfect wedding, 3 children and a loving husband later, Ziva felt she was still right.


	25. Strangers

**Another Senior-bashing one (I really hate that guy. Like, really.) I'm on Team Abi :D**

**_Strangers_**

" Tony! Get the door!"

Tony glanced up from the sofa, managing to pull his eyes from the television to the hallway, finishing his mouthful of pizza, and muttered under his breath about lazy sisters. He was sprawled out on said sofa in a pair of sweats and a Marine Corps tee, enjoying the small freedom he'd been given; just under a week ago,he'd returned from his first tour of duty. Taller, broader, and far more tanned than when he'd left, he'd learnt quickly to appreciate being at home, rather than under gunfire in the middle of a desert. It had a habit of changing a man, and his priorities.

" Why not you! I'm on R&R, my CO wouldn't want me to strain myself..."

" TONY!"

With a sigh, he pushed himself up, slouching over to the front door, pulling it open.

" Look, pal, if you're selling something, we really don't want it..."

In front of him stood a man, dressed in a crisp suit, white hair, who stared at him as though he'd see a ghost. There was silence between the two men, before the man on the doorstep cleared his throat.

" I-I think I've...I've got wrong directions. I was looking for 3035 Vista Street...?"

Tony shrugged, casting a hand about him.

" You found it, man."

The elder man blinked several times, studying the man at the door.

" I'm looking for Anthony D. DiNozzo Junior..."

Tony sighed, folding his arms.

" You found him...wait, Anthony _D_? You mean you want the old man?"

" The old man..._You're_ Junior's son?"

Tony, thoroughly creeped out now, took a slight step back.

" Look, I'm not all too sure who you are but-"

" My name is Anthony D. DiNozzo Senior. I'm...I'm your grandfather."

Tony stared, mouth slightly agape, before feeling a hand on his shoulder; Abi. The girl peered past her brother, taking in the man before her. Senior stared back, swallowing.

" Abigail."

She recoiled, glancing to her brother. Tony grinned at her, wriggling an eyebrow.

" This, sister dear, is our grandfather."

Abi scoffed, looking to the old man, before turning and disappearing back inside the house.

" Oh, the one we've never met? That's convenient..."

Tony turned back to Senior, stepping aside to let him in the house, which he did, with a glance around, still clearly confused.

" Sorry, she eh, she's kinda grumpy..."

" No, it's...it's not a problem. Look, I... Last time I spoke to Junior, you...your sister had just been born. I lost the letter, long complicated story, had to move house, you know how it is. I figured it hadn't been all that long, at most, you had to be...12, 13?"

Tony let out a laugh, closing the door behind the elder DiNozzo.

" I'm almost 20, sir. Abigail's 18, and Timmy's 16."

" Timmy?"

Tony met his eyes, falling silent.

" Y-Yeah..Timmy, my little brother? You seriously don't know..I guess, if last time you spoke to Dad was when Abi was born, you'd not know about Tim...Hey, speak of the devil!"

Timmy paused where he was on the stairs, glancing up at his rather eager brother with a look of curiosity.

" Tim, c'mere and meet our grandfather..."

The younger boy continued to stare, before plodding down to join his brother, surveying the man in front of him, before offering a hand.

" Timothy Eli DiNozzo."

Senior took the proffered hand, shaking it.

" Eli?"

" After my mum's dad."

" Oh, I see..."

There was an uncomfortable silence, before Tony broke it.

" Tim's, um, the smartest out of the three of us. Sitting his SAT a year early, ain't you bro?"

The boy shrugged with a nod, making a non-fussed face. His grandfather raised an eyebrow.

" So, are you going to do anything with those brains, or is a case of another mind lost to some nilly-willy arts degree from-"

" Double majoring in aerospace and aviation engineering, with artificial intelligence, at MIT."

Senior blinked, surprised at the boy's quick cut answer.

" Ah, is this what you're hoping to get into?"

" No, sir, I'm going to go. There's no hope about it."

There was another stoney silence, as Timmy stared at Senior, before Tony coughed, dragging Abi over as she attempted to pass by.

" And Abi, she's a student at Yale..."

Abi rolled her eyes, huffing at being dragged into the conversation, making eye contact with the rather impressed looking Senior. Timmy chuckled under his breath, departing for the kitchen.

" Yale? So, another engineer in the fam-"

" International relations, with applied languages. Double major."

She almost spat the words out, glaring at the man in front of her. Senior cleared his throat.

" Applied...languages?"

" Persian, Russian and Chinese."

" Not Spanish, or Fren-"

"I already speak both."

" Really? So 3 languag-"

" I speak English, French, Spanish, Hebrew, Turkish and Arabic. Six."

There was, yet again, silence, as Abi watched him, waiting for another question to pounce on, whilst Senior did a rather impressive goldfish impersonation. When none came, she gave a soft 'huh' of approval, and glanced at Tony, muttering quickly in Hebrew.

"_Why is he even here? Dad'll go off his head."_

Tony gave a quick shrug, watching as his sister flounced off, leaving him with his slightly rattled grandfather.

" Speaking in Arabic?"

" Hebrew actually. Mum's native language."

" And what about you? I suppose you'll tell me you've found the meaning of life..."

Tony laughed, ignoring the somewhat coolness in the man's comment.

" Me sir? Nah, I'm not at university."

Senior gave a somewhat relieved sigh.

" I'm a Marine. A Lance Corporal. Machine gunner, but I'm dive trained, and hoping to go into that division. I just got back from a tour of Afghanistan, actually."

His grandfather coughed in surprise, then stared at him, almost bemused.

" A Marine?"

" Yessir. Like my grandad..."

Tony trailed off, realising the implications of what he'd just said. Senior frowned, puzzled.

" Your grandad? Your mother's father in Israel? They have Marines?"

" E-eh, no. My grandad Gibbs."

" Gibbs."

" Leroy Jeth-"

" I know who Gibbs is."

There was a steely silence, as Senior absorbed the information.

" He's always treated us as his grandkids, we used to spend hours-"

" Sounds cosy."

Tony bit his tongue. Senior paused for another moment, before clearing his throat, turning and opening the door.

" Well, I should really get out of your hair. I was only stopping by, was in the area."

Tony watched, somewhat confused, stumbling after the man.

" Woah, wait, you're not staying to see Dad?"

" Junior? Nah, he's busy at work, wouldn't want to bother him. Got a flight to catch anyway."

The man stopped, turning to face his grandson, who towered over him by several feet. There was a pause, before Tony stuck out a hand.

" It's been nice meeting you Gr...sir."

Senior nodded, taking his hand and shaking it firmly, before quickly hurrying down the path and into the car at the end of the drive. Tony waited until the car disappeared before flicking open his cell phone, and hitting his first speed dial.

" Hey, Dad? You're not going to guess what just happened..."

Inside the car, Senior was doing the same thing.

" Mandy? Hi, sweetheart, it's Anthony. Listen, I need you to get on me on the next flight home. Huh? Oh. No. Nice kids, just a little wary. Makes sense though. Guess they've always been taught not to speak to...strangers."


	26. What?

_**What?**_

" _What_?"

It was a high-pitched, distraught shriek, echoing through the house, causing Ziva to dash from the kitchen through to the hallway, panicked. Her daughter stood, staring at the figure on the sofa with complete disbelief and horror. Said figure glanced away from the television, looking over the girl, before shrugging nonchalantly and looking back to his movie.

" How...How could you?"

Another shrug. Abi stared at her father, fists clenched in a rather obvious rage. Ziva approached her slowly, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

" Abi? Is everythi-"

Her daughter turned around to face her, fire in her eyes, disgust written on her face.

" YOU never told me! You both...URGH. I can't believe this!"

And with that, she took off upstairs, stomping on each step as she went. Ziva looked helplessly towards her husband, who was sitting with a rather satisfied smirk on his face.

" What have we done?"

Tony sighed, his trademark grin appearing. Abi stopped at the top of the stairs, turning around to lean over the banister and yell down at the couple, venom laced in her voice.

" _HE_ could have been team leader in _Rota_! _SPAIN_! I could've grown up in Spain! Spain, with beautiful weather, and beaches, and boys! Hot summer sun, culture, beauty, speaking Spanish, sipping wine, swimming in crystal blue waters, flirting with bronzed gods of men. Instead, he chose to stay in the United States of FAIL, in Washington, with crappy weather, and traffic, and_ douchebags_ with no sense of decorum! Who even contemplates doing that? I can't believe you were so _stupid_, Dad!"

She finished her speech and stormed into her room, slamming the door behind her. Ziva took a moment, before laughing softly, walking over to join her husband, leaning against the back of the sofa, and wrapping her arms around his neck.

" She's mad about that?"

Tony leant back into her embrace, grinning widely.

" Apparently so."

Ziva laughed again, leaning forward to kiss his cheek softly.

" And did you tell her it's very unlikely that she'd be here, if you had left?"

He laughed, lips meeting hers.

" Ah, I didn't quite get that far."


	27. Why?

**_Why_**

Dinner, for the DiNozzos anyway, was usually a fairly animated event. It was perhaps the first time that all of the family were together in the day, and butting of characters, and more often opinions, was common place. Tony, for his part, loved it; years of silent meals alone meant that he had strictly enforced the 'family dinner around a table' idea.

However, tonight, a storm was brewing; his daughter's mood had still not improved from earlier, and she refused to speak to her father. As Ziva served dinner, there wasn't even a peep from the girl, prompting somewhat worried looks between her brothers. There was silence for a few moments, before Timmy spoke up.

" We had a Spanish test at school. I-"

Abi cut him off with an indignant huff.

" Spanish. You know where they speak that?"

Timmy looked perplexed, glancing from his fuming sister to his parents, terrified that he'd somehow done something wrong.

" _Spain. _Where we could've lived. We could've been Spanish, Timmy, but Mr Patriot over there decided to stay in Suckington."

Tony snorted with laughter, almost choking on his food. Both boys blinked several times in confusion, before looking to their mother. Ziva sighed, doing her best to ignore the urge to give her daughter a sharp smack over the head.

" Your father was offered a promotion to move to Rota, Spain-"

" To be Team Leader! Who turns down that sort of thing?"

Tony had recovered sufficiently to reply, swallowing before answering his daughter.

" Me."

" Very funny, Dad. I mean it! How could you be so idiotic! That's a once in a lifetime chance, and you ruined it!"

Tony leant back in his chair, surveying the angry girl with a smile.

" That's exactly what the Director told me. Didn't change anything."

" But _why_! Didn't you think of your future children, who would've _loved_ to grow up in Spain!"

" Why, yes, actually I did."

" And you came to the mistaken conclusion that they would, instead, prefer to live _here_?"

Tony watched her for a moment, still smirking.

" Let's be clear about this. My orders were-"

" To be Team Leader in Rota! I get that!"

" _Abi._"

The girl fell silent, an indignant pout on her face, as her father continued.

" My orders were that I transfer to be Team Leader in Rota. Just me. No-one else."

Confusion flashed across her face, unable to understand what her father was getting at.

" So... you didn't want to leave your team?"

" In a manner of speaking, yes. Because those orders would have meant a permanent, full-time move to Spain. Leaving behind one quite important person, particularly to you."

Tony nodded his towards his wife, who sat with a look of somewhat smugness on her face. Abi stared, taking in what her father had said.

" So...So you and Mum would-"

" Would never have got together, no. It's highly unlikely anyway. I would have had pretty Spanish flamenco dancers, and your mother would probably have married C.I. Ray- oww, it was joke, Zi!"

Ziva rolled her eyes, retracting her elbow from his ribs, and looked at her daughter.

" So, your father clearly made the right choice, despite your protests. For you wouldn't even have been here."

Abi's mouth opened, then shut. She took a deep breath, pushed her plate away and stood up.

" I'm not hungry."

With that, she stalked off upstairs, her brother choosing the choice moment to rub a little salt in the wound.

" Hey, Abs, I think you dropped your ego on the floor!"

" SHUT IT, TONY!"

Both boys sniggered into their dinner, with Ziva casting them a reprimanding look. Tony glanced after the fuming girl, before whistling softly.

" Stubborn, ain't she?"

" Mhm. Wonder from whom she gets that."

" Hey, I'm not stubborn...I'm not _that_ stubborn...am I?"


	28. Red

**Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all your wonderful reviews (and you too, lurking readers that don't review; I know you're there! :D)**

**I have to admit, these recent updates have been shorter, as I'm working on one that has become rather long, and possibly may become a side story, I dunno yet. It's going up here as part of the Themes, but hey hoy, it might have enough potential to become something bigger once this is done (I'd rather not think about that, I'm enjoying this far too much). You'll know which story I mean once it's been posted, and I'd hugely appreciate major feedback on it, particularly if I'm thinking of dragging a story out of it.**

**For now, though, I'm afraid you'll have to make do with these little shorties (:**

**__Shalom!**

**_Red_**

Ziva had always known that, thanks to both Tony and herself, there was a threat to her children most did not bare. The list of possible grudge matches was near endless; if Mossad, or an enemy country, didn't get her, one of the Baltimore/Philly/Peoria gangs had plenty against her husband, not to mention anyone released from prison. They'd been careful, as the children had grown up, to teach them quickly not to speak to strangers, not to stray, to watch for anything, even the smallest things, out of the ordinary, but at the same time, to keep them naive enough not to realise just how valuable they would be to a kidnapper, or vengeful criminal.

This time, though, Ziva couldn't blame her children, not in the slightest. This was brutal, this was uncalled for, this was...barbaric. It may have had a happy ending in the respect that she had her son in her arms, but the implications, she was certain, would follow for months. She could already see it; the guilt that read across her husband's face ("_I should've been there, I'm his father..")_, the guilt that had no cure, because it was undeserved.

The sick idiot had picked him up at the park. He'd been playing with his friends, the usual post-school activity a normal ten year old. What had ensued was a twelve hour man hunt, one shaken child, and his two terrified, horrified parents. The idea that someone could simply snatch their child, that easily, without warning, left them both sick to their stomachs. Ziva hadn't let any one of them out of her sight since, out of sheer fear of losing one of them again. Not again.

So much so, that it came to this. She'd been coaxed to leave Abi and Tim with Ducky, but Tony stayed. On the other side of the glass sat the man who'd put her in this state, and Ziva could feel her blood _boil._ Tony was silent, hand clutching his mother's, eyes wide. When Gibbs joined them to watch, Ziva knew what was coming; she knew before the door slammed, before the chair was almost thrown across the room as he sat down, before she saw the malice, the pure, unfilitered hatred in the man she loved's eyes. She adored Tony, but even she knew that once lit and that curtain of red fell, his temper burned white hot, and God help those for who the fuse was lit.


	29. Where?

**_Where_**

" Yeah, um, hi. I'd like to place an order please? For delivery to the Navy Yard, NCIS office..."

McGee glanced over to his partner's desk, shaking his head. He received a glare in return, and ducked his head again, muttering under his breath.

" Yeah? Can I get two cheese and tomato, with extra extra pepperoni. Both large. And throw in some extra dipping sauce. And a bottle of Pepsi"

Again, McGee glanced over, disbelief in his eyes. And yet again, he met a pair of cool green eyes, who clearly told him to back off.

" You want anything, McGeek?"

He shook his head, leaning back to watch as the order was complete.

" Uh-huh, sure. It's Tony DiNozzo. DiNozzo. Big D, little I, big N, little Ozzo. And the credit card number is..."

A long number was reeled off the card, before, with a satisfied grin, the phone was put back down, and Tony relaxed. McGee raised a questioning eyebrow.

" Hungry, Tony?"

" Starved. Hey, is Abby about?"

He pushed himself of this seat, disappearing in search of said Goth. He hadn't been gone two minutes when Gibbs appeared, glancing at the smirking McGee.

" Something funny, Tim?"

" No, no. Not at all boss. Nothing whatsoever."

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes later, Tony strolled into the bullpen, stopping at the sight of a pizza delivery man, standing, looking rather puzzled, a somewhat displeased Gibbs and a smug looking McGee behind him.<p>

" Problem, boss?'

" Your delivery's here, DiNozzo."

" Delivery, I didn't order any pizza..."

The delivery man cleared his throat, reading the receipt.

" Tony DiNozzo. NCIS Navy Yard."

" You're sure it was DiNozzo?"

" Yessir. The caller made it quite clear. 'Big D, little I, big N-"

" Little Ozzo."

Tony turned around, facing his now empty desk, immediately reaching for his wallet. Finding his credit card gone, he turned back to the man.

" Prepaid?"

" Yessir."

He cursed under his breath, took the pizza, thanked the man, dumped it on his desk, and turned to McGee.

" There's only one person who knows how to spell like that, and who would dare take my credit card... Where?"

" Went to see Abby. Y'know, he's more like you than you know..."

Tony shot off, headed for the lab. As he left, a small head appeared from under Ziva's desk, quickly scooting out to grab the pizzas and take his place in his father's chair. Feeling Gibbs' stare on him, the young Tony glanced over, mouth full of pizza.

" Wha', Gran'pa? Thi'k Dad knows it wa' me?"

Gibbs let himself smirk, standing up and heading towards MTAC, taking a moment to pause and lightly slap the back of his grandson's head.

" Y'think, DiNozzo?"


	30. Brother

**So, this is the one-shot I feel has potential to become an alright, multi-chapter story. Just Tony and Tim, minus kiddies and wives. PLEASE post your thoughts; I do love criticism, and I'd really appreciate it on this.**

**Anyway, enjoy! :D**

**_Brother_**

" Y-you know, P-P-Probie. We m-might actually h-have...d-done it this t-time.."

" N-Not meaning t-to sound like B-Boss b-but...y-y'think, D-DiNozzo?"

Both men gave a gasping laugh, that quickly turned to coughs and groans of pain, effectively ending the idea that they could, somehow, get away with joking around. There was silence, the only sound being the slow drip of water, probably from a burst pipe that had been shut off. It was dark, too dark to for Tony to see, but he knew the man near him was trembling; he could hear it in the shaking, shallow breaths he drew.

" Y-You still with m-me, P-Probie?"

His reply was a pain-ridden cough, as Tim attempted to breath in the dust filled air.

" 'C-Course. I m-might be a g-geek, but w-we're...t-tough a-actually."

Another laugh from Tony, ending instantly as his right side erupted in pain, fire burning from where he guessed he was bleeding, probably rather profusely. His head swam, and he was sure, if he could see, that there'd be at least five of everything.

" W-What's...h-how...y-your injuries, g-gimme a s-sitrep..."

There was a slight shuffle; Tim was obviously trying to move. That ended with a cry of pain, and gasping breaths from the other agent.

" C-Can't move my l-legs...m-must be p-pinned down...l-left leg's on f-fire, b-broken I think...ch-chest hurts, p-probably ribs...y-you?"

Tony swallowed, pushing the thought of McGee, unable to move his legs, the implications of that, out of his head, and tried to figure out what, in this sea of pain, hurt most.

" I'm f-free but...right a-arm's definitely broken, f-feels like my sh-shoulder's g-gone too...a-and my collarb-bone..."

He slowly moved his good arm across his torso to the source of the pain on his side, finger immediately warm, and sticky. He shuddered at images that swam through him mind, instead tracing a finger across anywhere that so much as nipped.

" B-Bleeding out on my r-right side...s-something must've got me as it w-went off...p-pretty n-nasty gash on my h-head..."

There was silence in the wake of their talking, as they took their predicament in. Trapped under an entire warehouse of rubble, after a covert op gone wrong. That bomb wasn't even meant to be there, _damnit._ Gibbs would be furious, he'd told them to wait. Ziva, she'd be beyond furious; he expected repercussions for weeks for putting her through this. Tim was lost in his own thoughts, which he half-aired with his partner, managing to produce words through shaky lips.

" T-Tony...A-Abby...the k-kids..."

He trailed off, dissolving into weak sobs. Tony lay, mouth dry, unsure of what exactly to say. Images of his own wife and children flashed through his mind, and he felt sick; he'd never even said goodbye. Desperate to push away the thoughts of his family, minus him, he gritted his teeth, and pushed himself up.

_The pain, God, the pain._ The line between reality and his mind blurred, and someone, somewhere was screaming; it took him several moments to realise it was _him_. He pulled himself towards the shaking breaths of McGee, fighting his body's refusal to move, making slow progress but progress none the less. After several minutes of scrambling around in the dark, he found what he was looking for; a warm, clammy hand. He clutched at it as though it was his last chance to remind himself he was _alive_ and collapsed, close enough to feel Tim's shallow breathing on his cheek.

" T-Tony...Are you o-okay? Wh-what the h-hell were you th-thinking?"

The senior agent laughed weakly, instantly regretting it.

" D-Didn't want...t-to be alone...d-didn't want you t-to...to be alone..."

There was another silence, filled only by the two men's laboured breathing. Eventually, Tony spoke again.

" I'm s-sorry...Tim. S-sorry for all the t-teasing, I n-never meant-"

" T-Tony...it's c-cool...I kn-knew you were j-just...j-just j-joking..."

" S-seriously. Y-you..."

Tony could feel damp on his cheeks; damnit, DiNozzo's didn't cry.

" Y-You're like the l-little brother I...I a-always wanted...N-Never got... A-And when th-this is over, w-we're going out f-for drinks, as b-brothers. "

There was no immediately reply from the younger man, but Tony felt a squeeze on the hand he held, and felt a smily tug at his lips as Tim spoke.

" S-Sounds g-great... b-bro."

And suddenly, Tony didn't feel quite as terrified, as they lay in the dark, praying for a rescue from above, and all he could do was thank someone, somewhere, that he had his brother with him.


	31. If

**_If_**

It was past midnight and sleep had still not come to Abigail. She'd tossed and turned for several hours, but that uneasy feeling had settled in the pit of her stomach, and refused to budge. Eventually she gave up and clambered out of bed, slipped on her robe and shuffled down the hall to her parents' room. She paused, hearing the noise of the TV behind the door and knocked softly. On hearing a soft 'Come in' from her mother, she slipped inside, closing the door behind her.

Ziva was stretched out on the bed, leaning against the headboard, long dark curls falling past her shoulders, looking every bit tranquil and at peace. One hand was gently running through her husband's hair, his head in her lap, deep breathing indicating he was fast asleep. She glanced over from the television as her daughter came in, raising an eyebrow with a smile.

" Not asleep, sweetheart?"

Abi shook her head, sitting herself down beside her mother, before glancing over at Tony's sleeping figure. Ziva smiled, following her gaze.

" Sleeping like a baby. A little too much excitement for one day, huh?"

The teen didn't reply, instead curling up, tucking her knees to her chest. Ziva was silent; she'd learnt a long time ago that her daughter took after her father, in that she'd speak when she was ready. It didn't take long.

" I was really scared, Mum."

Ziva sighed, wrapping her free arm around the girl and pulling her into her embrace.

" Abi. It's not worth worrying over."

" But what if he'd been further over? Just, y'know, a couple of inches and he'd be gone."

" Abi."

" But I mean it Mum! What if! What if you hadn't shot the guy, what if Dad hadn't moved, what if-"

" Abigail!"

The girl fell silent, looking at her mother with deep, worried eyes. Ziva sighed softly.

" There are always 'if's, Abi. What if it had been me, and not him. What if he hadn't gone to work. What if the shooter had been somewhere else. What if I'd been quicker to see the shooter. There are _always_ things we question. But we can't change the past, and everything is fine now, huh?"

Abi nodded softly, leaning into her mother.

" But he was shot, Mum. Bleeding."

Ziva rolled her eyes.

" In his arm. It was a clean shot, missed the bone, it'll heal quick enough. Not the first time your father's been shot."

Abi nodded again, feeling a soft relief seep into her . Her mother had this magical talent of saying exactly the right thing, at exactly the right time, and knowing when to stay quiet. She sat, content, half watching the television at the far end of the room, before looking back at her still snoring father.

" Dad looks so different when he sleeps, y'know that?"

Ziva raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

" You mean he's actually quiet, and doesn't have that silly grin on his face?"

Abi giggled, nudging her mother.

" You like that silly grin, so don't lie. No, I meant...he looks at peace. Like, he's actually, for once, not thinking something over in that meticulous way he does. Hard to believe he's a 'rough and tough' federal agent when you see him like this..."

Both females burst into a fit of giggles. Ziva stroked the sleeping man's head, playfully scolding her daughter.

" Be nice to your father! He's..sensitive."

Another round of giggles broke out.

" For your information, _ladies_, I am at my most dangerous when asleep."

Ziva and Abi both jumped, the voice coming from the sleepy, grinning face of one Anthony DiNozzo, before giggling again. Ziva leant down, kissing him gently.

" I'm sure that's true, my love. Actually..."

She leant up again, sharing a wicked grin with her daughter.

" Did I ever tell you about when your father and I went under cover as married assassins?"

Abi raised an eyebrow, curious. Ziva grinned delightedly.

" Ah, well. It is a long story, but we were camping out in a hotel room, unsure whether we were under surveillance or not. We had to act everything as this couple."

Tony sighed contentedly from his position, a knowing grin spreading across this face.

" That was a good assignment."

Ziva rolled her eyes, giving him a playful smack on the head, before looking back to her daughter.

" Your father wouldn't get up in the morning. So I poured a little water on his head, and _boom_. Imagine him..."

She started laughing again, managing to tell the story through breaks of laughters.

" Him, in only his b-boxers...Jumping up on the bed, shouting his head off."

She managed to pull her face together, imitating Tony, as Abi laughed next to her.

" 'In position and ready Boss!'"

Both women broke down into peals of laughter. Tony huffed, lifting himself off of his wife and rolling over, turning his back on the two women.

" On the eve of my _grevious_ injury, where I could have died, you two find it hilarious to mock me."

Mother and daughter shared a look, before giggling again. Abi gently leant over, poking Tony's cheek.

" I'm sorry, Daddy"

Tony grunted, glancing out of the corner of his eye. Abi giggled again, leaning down and kissing him gently.

" Love you."

Tony laughed softly, dropping his charade and kissed her cheek in return.

" Get some sleep, baby. I'll see you in the morning."

Abi climbed off of the bed, receiving a gentle kiss from her mother and a good night. As she reached the door, she turned around, a sly grin appearing on her face.

" Better not sleep, Dad. Just in case Grandpa needs your back-up..."

Ziva snorted with laughter, watching as the door clicked shut. Tony rolled back over onto his back, pouting.

" She has your sense of humour."

Ziva grinned, flicking off the television and slipping into bed next to him.

" So you have a grievious injury, husband dear?"

Tony's pout grew, pointing to the bandaged arm.

" Someone shot me up. Sympathy vote."

Ziva traced her tongue over her lips with a grin.

" Such a shame. I was just thinking about that mission, you know. But I guess, with such a _horrific_ injury, you won't be able to..."

She traced a finger across his chest, letting it slide up, before gently tapping his lips.

" Reminisce with me."

Tony swallowed, pout suddenly disappearing. He smirked, leaning across and wrapping his good arm around Ziva. She tutted, playfully running a hand through his hair.

" No, no, we can't have you injuring yourself fur-"

She got to speak no further as Tony placed his lips against her own, pulling away with his trademark grin in place.

" I'm sure I'll solider through."


	32. Pride

**A little bit drable-y, but fluff all the same. Enjoy! :)**

**_Pride_**

Tony hated admitting his age; mortality was not something he dealt well with.

As much as he loved watching his children grow and mature into the men(and woman) that they were, and the immense sense of pride he had for them, he still hated to face his age.

Part of him argued that it was irrational; he loved his family, he loved his job, and he made far less mistakes than ever before, with some sense of wisdom and general common sense. The other part, however, ached for the days when he could lift Tony on his shoulders, when Tim was just a curly haired toddler begging for a bedtime story, when Abi had been small enough to fit into the crook of his arm, and he'd felt..._needed._ He knew one day he'd have to face this morbid fear, and somehow conquer it. The question was, when?

He didn't have a choice, as it turned out. The reality was thrust upon him, and he realised with a jolt, that it was bitter sweet, something he hadn't quite expected. Sitting in a hospital chair in the maternity ward, he practically bathed in nostalgia. Almost everything had remained the same, yet felt so very different. He was pondering this when a blue blanket was gently placed in his arms, and he looked up into the face above him, taking in the red, puffed eyes, and megawatt grin.

" It's a boy. His name...his name's Tony."

He glanced down, taking in those same blue eyes staring up at him, the tiny little face crumpled and flushed, but perfect down to the smallest eyelash. He felt the smile grow across his face as the baby yawned, naturally nestling into his chest. And suddenly, it was him; his face that had handed him the baby, years younger, the same eyes, the same grin, his son, newborn and innocent.

Then everything swam, and he looked back up into the the face, and that baby was suddenly twenty-five, handing him his own son, with that same proud grin on his face, and it hit Tony that this was his grandson he was holding. The rush of euphoria was almost instant, and he grinned with Tony, hugging him tightly with his free arm.

Later, as he watched his own boy cradle his son, Tony had to will himself not to cry. If anyone had asked, he would have sworn that it was yesterday that was him with the baby, that it was Ziva on that bed, that it was his little family under the halo of the hospital lamp. Now, though, he was merely a spectator, and by God, it was bittersweet. He turned to leave, taking one last glance into the room, catching sight of Tony murmuring gently to the sleeping baby, and he felt pride bubble in his chest.

Everything he'd ever done, everything he'd ever achieved and worked so hard for, suddenly paled in comparison to watching his son with his greatest achievement.


	33. Hours

**Apologies for the delay in chapters folks! Work seems to have managed to swallow me up. As always, thank you to my reviewers, particularly those that have stuck with me, as well as the lurkers!**

**_Hours_**

Tony had given up trying to count the hours. It was useless, he figured. All he knew was that his arms ached, his head pounded and that, regardless of the time, his job was far from finished.

It was obviously late; the television had switched to trying to sell him a variety of useless gadgets and gizmos, and even outside had fallen silent. He lay spread out on the bed in a pair of jogging pants and a loose tee, hair tousled and dark circles under his eyes beginning to appear. Yet, despite his headache and the knowledge that work was probably only several hours away, Tony couldn't sleep. He was awake, with reason, and that reason had him far too worried to even contemplating closing his eyes.

On his chest lay his son, dressed in only a tiny pair of briefs, eyebrows furrowed, sweat glistening on his forehead, sleeping fitfully. Ziva had taken him to the doctor the day before, and she'd been told to dose him child's Tylenol and watch him. Just over twenty-four hours later, he was lying in an ER ward, with a severe chest infection, a drip in his tiny arm and a breathing tube at his nose; it was terrifying just how quickly it had turned.

" Y'know, kiddo, I thought we were going to at least make it to two without having to take you to the ER. Just three weeks off...Your mother and I had a bet, you know. I owe her..."

He flinched slightly, sighing as he remember just _what_ he'd bet with his lovely wife, and that, at 38 weeks pregnant, it would probably be wise to argue that bet if she remembered. If. If was good. He jumped slightly as the small boy wriggled, moaning softly before coughing.

" D-Daddy?"

The word tugged at his heart; he'd said it so weakly, so un-Tony like. Tony shifted him gently, brushing the matted hair off of his face.

" Right here, son."

The little boy sniffled again, before bursting into weak sobs, clinging at his father's shirt, one hand attempting to tug the IV from his arm..

" No like it, Daddy... no like..."

Tony gently pried his hand off of the line, taking it in his, and soothed him.

" I know, little man, I know. But it's got to stay. It's to make you feel better. C'mon, you're being such a brave boy..."

He leant down and kissed his son's forehead, watching as he calmed. He coughed again, a horrific, painful sound that Tony would have given anything to never hear coming from his child again, a sound that dragged him straight back to the blue lights and glass walls from his own time in hospital, and the sick fear that it gave him. Of course, his son was nowhere near that bad, but his imagination liked to egg him on to worry; Tony would be next, like that, under those lights, bloodied and blue. He instinctively tightened his hold on the little boy, pushing the thoughts out of his mind. This was different. This was just a little cold. This was-

" Mr DiNozzo?"

Tony blinked, brought back into the present by the nurse's voice.

" Sorry, I just need to take Tony's temperature and blood pressure..."

" No, no, it's fine..." He glanced quickly at the name badge, " Leanne."

He lifted his son of his chest to sit him at the edge of the bed, with instant effect. Tony wailed miserably, somewhat lucid, sobbing hopelessly for his father as Leanne went about her checks, despite Tony assuring him that he was still there, gnawing at his own lip. Once she pulled away, he was back in his father's arms, before she could even say 'finished', Tony murmuring to him, rubbing soft circles in his back. She waited until the boy stopped sobbing, nuzzling into his father and returning to snuffles and shallow breaths.

" His temperature's actually fallen by a quarter degree, Mr DiNozzo. The antibiotics have obviously kicked in. He's not clear yet, but it's a positive sign. We'll check again in half an hour."

Tony felt himself release a breath he didn't know he'd even been holding, nodding softly.

" Thank-you..."

She left with a soft smile, closing the door behind her, leaving Tony once more in the dim room. He ran a hand through his son's sweat-soaked hair, laying back with a sigh.

" Looks like it's just you and me, kiddo..."

The hours seemed to drag on.


	34. Heart

**Pure fluff :3 I'm in that sort of mood. McAbby and Papa!Gibbs in the next chapter :D And to answer a few things, as I realise I have sort of neglected talking to you guys rencently(I'm sorry! You can all have one Gibbs-slap each!) - **

**The Lady Grace: YES! I'm glad I'm not the only one who's seen Hercules and has a love for it! :D **

**nancy k. nkwhimseycornergma: Gibbs has to be kicking around. I just can't see the man ever dying. He's going to hibernate in his basement for years to come :D**

**tivaandmcabby: Thank you so much for your praise! And of course Ziva's a good mum, it's just so her (: **

**mprmusings: So very glad you enjoyed it! :D**

**Shalom :)**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Heart<em>**

_" Home is where the heart is"_

Tony had often heard the expression, but never truly understood him, his childhood home had been a place of uncertainty, loneliness, and distant memories of a time where he could recall being somewhat happy; before his mother had died and, more painfully, before he'd watched his parents' love die before his eyes. For him, his heart lay away from that house, and for years, it was him, just him. Then he'd found NCIS, and found a family, and finally began to understand that expression. It became even more clear during his time afloat, as he pined for the Navy Yard; for Gibbs, and his headslaps; for McGee, and his nerdiness; for Abby and her Caf-Pow fueled hugging; for the woman he loved, and the long, secret nights spent together.

He'd reopened the book on that lesson, however, when his children were born, and finally, he felt he could define it. The yearning to return home from work, from the passion he loved, to his wife, to his children, was impossible to beat, and Tony finally felt at peace. With that same gusto he'd thrown himself into police work with, he put everything into his home life; they were his world.

" Daddy!"

Tony blinked, thoughts suddenly distracted. His son tugged at his hand, drawing his attention back to the present.

" I wan' up! Le's go see Mama!"

Tony lowered the bar on the crib and removed the toddler with a smile, saddling him on his hip with one arm. From behind him, his daughter let out a wail of protest; she'd only recently learnt to pull herself up, and right now, this effort was being ignored. Tony shushed her, lifting her into the other arm, where she nestled in happily, and began babbling to her big brother in broken words around her pacifier. He still wondered at how easily he'd adjusted to this father role; he'd struggled to hold one, unmoving baby to begin with, and now balanced two squirming bundles with ease.

He stepped out of the nursery and padded along the hall, stopping to silently peek into the master bedroom. A soft sigh of pure, unfiltered love left his lips at the sight that greeted him. Morning sunlight crept in through the blinds, bathing his wife of four years in a gentle glow as she slept, face tranquil in a slight smile, her dark curls splayed around her and a delicate hand resting on her stomach, rounding with the signs of early pregnancy. It was breathtaking.

" B'ootiful."

He looked down at the little girl in his arms, who glanced up at him, before repeating herself.

" Mama b'ootiful."

Tony nodded softly, noting mentally with a laugh that his daughter _would_ get that right. Ziva shifted in her sleep, eyes peeking open at the noise, smile instantly spreading across her still drowsy face.

" Good morning, my loves."

Tony let both children down onto the bed, smiling as they scooted over to their mother, instantly embraced in a tight hug and soft murmured words of love in Hebrew, words Tony knew from listening to his wife with them. He crossed the room, picking up his cell and suit jacket, slinging it over one shoulder, and paused at the edge of the bed. As he leant down, his wife placed a hand on one cheek, still smiling as he kissed her.

" Be safe. Come home. That's all I ask."

" Always."

They kissed again, Tony's lips leaving hers to find her ear and whisper softly.

_" Ha'chaim sheli."_

He felt Ziva sigh against him, and she pecked his cheek as he pulled away, leaning down to say goodbye to both children before leaving. He paused at the doorway, turning to give them one last smile.

" I love you."

It wasn't directed to any one of them in particular. Tony giggled, and Abby blew him a kiss with one chubby hand. Ziva held them closer, her eyes meeting his.

" And I love you."

Content, Tony turned and left, pausing as he collected the car keys to smile at the frame on the wall by the front door, words inked carefully by his wife, a reminder to him each and every day, not that he needed it.

_'Home is where the heart is'_

* * *

><p><strong><em><em>Ha'chaim sheli : <em>_You are my life / You are my reason for living. (If there are any Hebrew speakers out there who can correct me if I'm wrong, please PM me! :D)**


	35. Dinner

**_W.O.W. _ Over 100 reviews! I am literally gobsmacked! Thank you so much guys! **

**A big thanks too to TivaBelieva.x.x.x for all the reviews ( I have to admit, I had a small heart attack at the amount of emails...:3)**

**Enjoy guys!**

**_Dinner_**

" No."

" Abi."

" No."

" Abi, sweetheart, c'mon."

" No!"

" Just a little bite."

" No."

" _Abigail._"

" Daddy?"

Tony gave a frustrated sigh, whilst his daughter smiled sweetly from her chair.

" You need to eat your dinner."

" It looks like slugs."

" What? It does _not_!"

" I think it does. And _you_ said never to lie! And never to let people make you do things you don't want to do. And I _do not_ want to eat that!"

" Stop using Daddy's words against him! Now, honey-"

" You only call me honey when you want something."

" You sound like your mother. Definitely not a good thing."

The little girl shot him a dark look, causing Tony to instantly panic.

" Why is that Daddy? Is something wrong with Mama?"

" I never said that!"

" You said sounding like her is a bad thing!"

" No I didn't! I said it wasn't a good thing-"

" Which means it's a bad thing!"

" No, it just means it's not a good- can we get back on topic here? Dinner. Now."

Abigail smiled again, shaking her head softly, dark curls framing her face, large eyes shining. Tony pushed down the urge to curse loudly and pasted on a smile.

" I want you to eat your dinner, sweetheart."

" Ah, but Daddy. We do not always get what we w-"

" I said stop it with the using against me thing!"

Abi sighed, leaning back in her chair, and studying her father for a minute. Tony watched her, eye to eye, unblinking, tongue between his teeth. After a moment, she sighed again, and spoke.

" I will eat my dinner. If-"

" No. No ifs, Abigail."

The little girl shrugged, turning to push herself off her seat, when Tony caught ahold of her shoulders. She looked up at him, eyes instantly beginning to water, bottom lip trembling.

" But _Daddy!_ I j-just don't want to e-eat it! I-I'm sorry, but I really, really, really, _really_ don't want to. A-And I've been a g-good girl and I c-cleaned my room and e-everything and I made a m-macaroni p-picture for you at k-kindergarten..."

Tony let go of her, worrying his bottom lip, before giving in with a sigh. God darn the tears, and her eyes.

" Alright, fine. I'll heat you a bit of last night's pizza, okay? Just don't tell your mother."

The tears and lip instantly disappeared, replaced with a wide, grin, and she flung her arms around him.

" Oh thank you Daddy! You're the bestest bestest bestest Daddy ever!"

Tony grunted a reply, smiling none the less at the praise. He waited until she'd taken the pizza from him, and spoke as she turned to leave for the living room.

" Hey, where's my picture?"

Abi paused, putting on her best 'innocent' face.

" Well, Grandpa Gibbs asked for it first...And you always said sharing was nice."

She smiled again, before skipping off with her prize. Tony watched after her, mentally trying to piece together just how he'd managed to go from in control to the loser. Ziva was right. The girl had him wrapped around her little finger. He had to be more stern. More commanding. Authority and all that.

The younger Tony chose that moment to walk into the kitchen, and began to open his mouth, but his father turned to him with a glare in his eyes and silenced him instantly.

" You'll eat what you're given."

The boy blinked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

" I was just going to ask for something to drink, but y'know, good to see you're standing up to Abi, like Mom said."

He turned and left, leaving Tony with the urge to bang his head off the wall.


	36. Parents

**_Parents_**

It had been a rather tough case, not physically, but emotionally, even for the usually stoic Gibbs. Kidnapped wife and little girl, one panicked Staff Sargent Keegan, and a whole lot of work. In the end, though, 'justice prevails', as Ducky had put it, and the family had been reunited. The scene was heart-warming, particularly to Ziva and Abby, left behind in the Navy Yard while the rest of the team travelled to rescue said family. It had taken nearly two days, but all was well now.

" We owe you so much."

Mrs Keegan had been left as her husband and daughter finished speaking to Gibbs elsewhere. Ziva spoke with her, leaning gently against one of the bullpen partitions, a hand resting on the large bump protruding from under her shirt. Next to her, Tony and Abi stood, continuously glancing over at the elevator doors. Mrs Keegan leant down to them, smiling.

" Are you waiting on someone?"

Abi giggled, clinging to her mother's leg.

" My daddy!"

Tony nodded feverently beside her, grinning widely.

" He's a special agent, y'know! A _very_ special agent!"

Mrs Keegan faltered, glancing at Ziva.

" Your husband? He's a federal agent?"

Ziva nodded, laughing lightly.

" He and Agent McGee were the ones that brought you back."

" The taller man? Of course! The same eyes as these little angels! Tony, correct?"

Both children burst into giggles, doing their best 'innocent angels' look. Ziva laughed again, putting a hand on each head and pulling them into her. Abi spoke up again, smiling widely.

" Mama's gonna have a baby! I wan' a little sister..."

" Nu-uh! A brother! Not another silly girl!"

" Shoosht your mouth, _ahabal_!"

Ziva gently scuffed both of them across the head with a tut of disapproval. From the other side of the squadroom, Abby stepped out of the eleveator, a snoozing baby Jenny in one arm, a rather hyperactive Leroy tugging on her other hand. They joined the group, Leroy almost crashing into Tony in his excitement.

" Daddy's c'ming home!"

" I got it, McHyper! Gerrof me!"

Abby grinned at Ziva, shuffling the baby in her arms to look to their guest, who was peering into the bundle in her arms.

" What a gorgeous little girl! Miss..."

" Abby. Mrs Abby McGee."

Mrs Keegan glanced at Ziva, who nodded with a tinkering laugh.

" We like to keep it close, huh?"

" I'm so grateful to your husband. As I was saying to Agent DiNozzo, we really owe you so much."

Abby shrugged, grinning wider.

" That's what we do best! Ziva's usually out keeping the boys in line, but little DiNozzo number three is making that hard..."

Ziva gave her a playful nudge, laying a hand back on her bump. Mrs Keegan smiled, glancing curiously.

" When are you due, Agent DiNozzo?"

Ziva smiled, opening her mouth to talk, before being cut off as the elevator opened, and two men joined the small party.

" Four weeks, and _boy _don't I know it."

" And _boy_, don't I know he knows."

" Shut it, McAgony Aunt."

" Just saying, you'd think it was you who was pregnant."

" I said shut it, Probie. When are you getting started on that third kid anyway?"

Their teasing was cut off as both boys launched themselves at their respective fathers, winding both almost simultaneously. Tim bent down, pulling Leroy into a bone-crushing hug(with most of the bone-crushing coming from the little boy, rather than the other way around), running a hand through the little boy's dark hair. His face was almost exact replica of Tim, minus the eyes and hair. Tony launched his own son into the air, catching him and holding him tightly, as their wives watched on. Abi waited until the commotion had died down to throw herself at Tony, demanding to be picked up, to which Tony relented and expertly balanced both children on his hips, leaning over to kiss Ziva lightly. Abby pulled both her son and husband into another tight hug, keeping one arm free to save the baby. Tim plucked her from his wife once free, cooing softly at the little bundle, who had now woken, as Mrs Keegan looked on with a soft smile.

" Hey, we'd better go report to Tibbs before we leave, Probie."

" I swear, you make a Deep Six reference again..."

" C'mon troops. Let's go find Grandpa Tibbs."

Tim gave a groan, but laughed none the less. The men went off in search of their elusive boss, children in tow, chanting something of a war-cry of 'Grandpa Gibbs'. The women left behind laughed, Mrs Keegan looking to the two agents.

" You both have beautiful children."

Ziva passed it off with a smile and a soft 'thank-you', Abby grinning from ear to ear.

" They're usually a lot quieter. Just...y'know, home coming of the fathers tends to do that to them. Doesn't matter what job you do, parents first and always."

Mrs Keegan smiled knowingly, nodding softly.

" And 'Grandpa Tibbs'? As in, Special Agent Gibbs?"

The two women laughed again, nodding, Abby stepping in to explain.

" Dearly beloved Grandpa Tibbs. It's a long story. But you'll know when they find him. They're always so excited to see him after he-"

" GRANDPA!"

The small group burst into laughter as the sounds of squealing echoed throughout the squad room, intercepted by various shouts from each child. Abby and Ziva shared a look; it was good to be back to normal.


	37. Too Much

**So props to NCISGleek for the idea behind this one. I'd always wanted to do a drunk Tony, but never quite managed to fit it in. Her review gave me the perfect idea, so thank you! This will be a two, possibly three, part-er, so stay tuned! :D**

**_Too Much_**

" D'ya think...D'ya think they'll n-notice?"

" Tim...Tim...Timmy...Mc-McGee...McGoo...Probal-licious. They'll be asleep. Snoring like...like..like cherubs."

" R-Really?"

His partner gave a vigorant shake of his head, as they stumbled to the front door.

" The k-kids will be asleep...The b-babes in bed... And w-we get off...Scot...Scot free..."

Tim leant against the wall of the house, watching the world spin. It had all been Tony's idea. A very good idea at the time, he had to add. Now, it was seeming like a rather bad one. After hailing a cab from the last club to the nearest kebab shop, then another from the shop to his house (to remember no-one was home and he lacked a set of keys), they'd finally climbed into another one and made it to Tony's, where their families had spent the night watching movies, and their wives probably gossiping about them. He couldn't tell what time it was, but knew by the amount of drink he'd consumed, it couldn't be early. Beside him, Tony fumbled with the key, continuously stabbing it at the door handle with very little luck. All he was managing to achieve was making a racket, surely enough to wake anyone within a mile of the house.

" T-Tony, you're going to...going to wake th-them up... Oh God, I feel sick..."

" You spew again, Timmy, and y-you'll be s-sorry... Oh for the l-love of all th-things holy, can't s-someone just open this bloody d-door?"

And open it did, to reveal a woman, clad in nightdress and robe, with a look of disgust and fury painted on her delicate features. Both man did impressive impersonations of a goldfish, Tim going a shade of green-white, as Tony's tequila-soaked brain tried to come up with something to say.

" A-Ah...s-sweetcheeks...K-key must be bent..."

Ziva was silent for a moment, eyes boring into her husband's, clearly trying to keep a lid on her temper.

" Or, perhaps, it is that you're too drunk to see straight enough to put the key in the lock."

Tony scoffed, nudging McGee to laugh with him, earning a groan and a deeper shade of green from the man.

" T-Too drunk, d-don't be s-stu...s-stu...s-stupid..."

" You were going out to watch the football. It is now 2am, and you were supposed to be home nearly 5 hours ago. Care to explain yourself?"

Tony stammered for a moment, before plastering on a grin, ignoring the slowly collapsing Tim.

" We...got invited to a b-bar by a few guys. They w-were...Oh man, th-they were doing some good t-tequila shots...Probie only m-managed 6. I had t-ten."

The rather childish grin of pride hit a nerve with his wife, clearly.

" And I suppose that makes you the big man here?"

Tony leant in, (or perhaps it was more of a sway, he wasn't sure), the grin taking on a rather devious touch.

" Babe, you know I'm a big man."

Ziva's response was instant, one hand grabbing his wrist, twisting his arm behind his back and applying pressure. Tony wailed in pain, visibly whitening, as his wife's voice cut in.

" Call me babe once more, and you can kiss any chance of _anything_ happening between us goodbye. You turn up drunk on this doorstep, try and smooth your way into the house with cheap innuendo, and think that is okay? Well, I tell you now, Anthony DiNozzo, I will not let a _swine _like that inside this house with my children, regardless of whether I call him my husband or not. So I suggest you rethink your plan, find somewhere else to wallow in your own drunken pity, and come back here when you are sober to apologize for this."

She released Tony's arm, watching him sink to the ground with a somewhat satisfied look on her face, before rounding on Tim.

" And as for you..."

" Zi? They home?"

From behind Ziva, another figure appeared, heavily pregnant and clearly tired. Abby was make-up-less, and her red cheeks indicated she'd been crying; at 8 months pregnant, hormones had a full grasp of her emotions. She took in the sight before her, Tim beginning to stammer.

" Oh A-Abby...Abs, I'm s-sorry...T-Tony...w-we went to a bar...Abs..."

He managed to stumble forward, awkwardly embracing his wife, almost collapsing on her. Abby took a moment, breathing shaky, before speaking.

" You said you weren't drinking, Tim."

McGee pulled away, flustered and clearly ashamed, leaning a hand against the wall to steady himself.

" I w-wasn't going t-to, I h-haven't had th-that much, I-"

Abby let out a sob, sinking a knee into his groin heavily. Tim

" Don't LIE to me! I c-can't believe you! Y-You...y-you drunken _bum_! I'm sitting here, aching because of your k-kid, f-fat, u-upset and y-you're out at a bar, drinking y-yourself into oblivion! H-How could you even..."

She pushed him away, Tim collapsing on the ground with several whimpers, gasping in pain, before turning and rushing back into the house, clearly sobbing. Ziva almost spat at both men, choosing instead to give Tony one last shove.

" _Pigs._"

With that, she slammed the door, locking it behind her, and turned off the porch light. The two men sat in silence, both still recovering. After several minutes, Tony pulled himself to his feet, dragging a sobbing Tim with him.

" C'mon, up. W-We ain't sl-sleeping outside..."

" M-maybe I could ph-phone her! M-make her l-listen to-"

" She's n-not listening to anything, Probie. G-give it up. C'mon."

Tony draped one of the younger man's arms around his shoulders, hauling him with him.

" Wh-where are we going, T-Tony?"

" To w-wallow in our pity, and g-get a little...advice..."


	38. Inside

**Part two of this little mini-series! :)**

**_Inside_**

Gibbs glared blearily at the clock next to his bed, the red numbers clearly telling him it was almost three in the morning. The noise that had woken him, however, continued.

Someone was at his door.

With a groan, he pulled himself from bed, slipping on a pair of sweats and a shirt, and headed downstairs, opening the door to reveal what he assumed was his agents, slumped in a heap on his doorstep.

" DiNozzo? McGee?"

Both men look up at him, soaked through and clearly still rather drunk. Gibbs stared for a moment, before shaking his head with a sigh.

" You didn't go home like this?"

Tony nodded feebly, pulling a still upset Tim to his feet.

" They kicked us out. Z-Zee-vah..." He said his wife's name with a roll of the eyes, " And A-Abby. I think we're too d-drunk, Boss."

Gibbs scoffed.

" Y'think, DiNozzo? You can barely stand. Heck, I'm surprised Ziva didn't kill you on the spot."

" She t-tried. V-Vicious woman. Think that counts for spousal abuse? She t-tried to break my arm, called me a swine..."

Gibbs ignored the babbling Tony, rounding on the younger man.

" And McGee... I'd expect this from DiNozzo, but you?"

" I...T-Tony...T-Tequila...Sorry B-Boss."

" Don't apologize, how many times? Now get your sorry asses in here before you catch pneumonia."

Both men stumbled inside, stumbling over words of thanks. Gibbs took the opportunity as they walked by him to deliver twin slaps to the back of their heads. Both men winced, before mumbling together.

" Thank you B-Boss..."

* * *

><p>An hour later, both Tony and Tim sat on Gibbs' sofa, mugs of coffee in hand, showered and dry, dressed in old t-shirts and sweats (Tony had gone to make a comment about it being the only attired Gibbs worse, aside from suits, but stopped at the threat of being sent back to his wife). Somewhat more sober than before, and far more ashamed after a dressing down from the man, they wallowed in a silent pity together, eyes fixed on the blank TV before them. Their boss sat across the room, sipping his own coffee, watching over the brim.<p>

" Abby's never going to forgive me."

" She's pregnant, she'll fluctuate into the phase of adoration for you."

" Really?'

" Yeah. Then she'll hate your guts for the next however long."

Tim's face fell, Gibbs finding it impossible not to smirk from behind his mug. Tony leant back, closing his eyes.

" I'm going to be in the doghouse for weeks. You know she threatened to buy a doghouse and put it in the garden? An actual doghouse, so when she decided she hates me, she has somewhere to send me. Crazy chick..."

" You married her, DiNozzo. And you've known her for how long? Can't say you weren't warned."

" Thanks for that little pep talk, Boss."

" Anytime."

" She'll be furious. She's not going to sleep with me for days. Possibly weeks. I can't deal with that. The longest I've ever gone is 11 days, weeks is not a possi-"

" Is that seriously all you think about?"

Tim gaped at his partner, almost laughing in his astonishment. Tony shrugged, leaning back.

" I'm drunk, McChastity, so yes, for the moment. I'll be a 'sorry little Italian Stallion' in the morning."

" Italian...Sta-"

" She calls me it. It's a pet name."

" And you mock me."

" Sounds better than Elf Lord, particularly in bed. Which is where it is confined to. So you shall never speak of it. Unless you want the entire office knowing Abby calls you Mc-"

" Alright, fine!"

" Besides, it's a manly name. Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone, Party at Kitty and Stud's. Suits the moment."

There was a silence following Tony's finishing comments, in which McGee closed his eyes and laid his head against the arm of the sofa, contemplating sleep. Tony glanced over at Gibbs, who had been watching the exchange silently.

" Thanks for this, Boss."

Gibbs simply tipped his head, draining the last of his coffee.

" Get some sleep. You've got an angry wife to face tomorrow, Black Beauty."

Tony snorted, ears going red at the comment, closing his eyes again as Gibbs left the room, flicking off the light switch behind him. The next time anyone asked him about his children, he'd make sure to bring up his sons.


	39. Club

**_Club_**

" They're in here."

Abby pushed past the grey haired man, rushing into the living, stopping and giggling at the sight she was greeted with. Ziva and Gibbs joined her, Ziva smiling ruefully.

" Guess their partying caught up with them."

Gibbs snorted, leaving to fetch a cup of coffee, plucking a babbling Tony Junior from Ziva's arms and stealing him away with him. Abby turned to Ziva, raising an eyebrow.

" Shall we awaken our menfolk?"

Tony and Tim were still sprawled out on the sofa, snoring loudly. Tim had snuggled into the elder agent, head resting on his chest, and Tony had his arm around him, both clearly content. Abby took the opportunity to snap a picture; blackmail was always, _always_ useful. Ziva leant over to her husband, slapping one cheek gently until the man roused.

" Ngh?"

Ziva laughed softly, straightening up again as Tony shifted, blinking several times before shoving the snoring Tim off of him. McGee yelped, hitting the floor with a loud thud, groaning. Both women waited until the men had gained some awareness before clearing their throats. Tony and Tim shared looks as they stood up, the tension tangible. There was another, silent pause, before Abby bolted forward, embracing Tim in her usual chokehold hug, minus the space allowed for the bump.

" I was so worried! I thought about it afterwards, what if I'd sent you off and you'd got run over? Or collapsed? Or choked on your own v-"

" Abs, I can't breath!"

" Oh..."

She let him go, only leaning back as far as her arms would allow it. Tony took the opportunity to slyly creepy past the couple, making it as far as the hall before his wife was by his side. Tim and Abby glanced over, shrugging softly, before looking back at each other.

" I'm sorry, Abby. I mean it. I was stupid, I was dumb-"

" Immature, selfish, worryingly out of character."

Tim's ears reddened, falling silent, looking his wife in the eyes.

" I'm sorry, Abs. It won't happen again."

Abby nodded, leaning forward to plant a kiss on his lips.

" Damn right it won't. Now it's my turn. I was out of line. You... you were only having fun, I respect that. And...And I shouldn't have been so mad."

She pulled him into a hug again, clutching at him.

" Besides, I don't want our child to be an only child. Next time, I'll aim for your gut."

Tim paled, laughing weakly.

" N-No...Whatever suits, actually. God, I need some water...Couple of aspirin..."

" C'mon, Gibbs is in the kitchen with little Tony. That kid is so cute. I just know him and little Tim are going to be best of buds. Ziva and I have already planned play-dates, y'know?"

The couple disappeared into the kitchen, while Tony and Ziva still stood in the hall, eye to eye. Neither had spoken, merely staring at each other, almost betting each other to be the first to speak. Tony broke down first, giving in with a sigh.

" I was wrong, Zi. I said I was having a couple, I ended up floored. I'm sorry. In my defence, I didn't drive, I-"

Ziva leant up, placing a finger on his lips, effectively silencing him.

" Tony, I wasn't angry that you were drunk. If you'd said you were going drinking, then fine. But to go from 'a few' to..._that_..."

She sighed, silence settling once again. There was noise from the kitchen; Gibbs laughing, and their son giggling.

" I'm sorry. I was out of line."

" No, I was. I shouldn't-"

" I over-reacted. I just... I'm sorry."

" Me too."

Both smiled softly, Tony linking his arm around her gently, using his free hand to brush a strand of hair out of her face.

" You've been...off, lately."

Ziva raised an eyebrow, tucking into him.

" Off?"

" Y'know? Out of character? Under the weather? Odd?"

" Oh...well..."

She fiddled with the strand of hair, once again free, looking so un-Ziva like that Tony had to worry.

" Zi? Something up?"

He tipped her chin up to face him again, face furrowing. His wife paused, licking her lips, before looking at him, a coy smile beginning to tinge her features.

" I was...I was going to tell you last night. Abby only just confirmed it, I had to be sure..."

" Zi, I'm hungover, my brain is on 50% activity, you're going to have to spit it out."

" Well, you remember the work dance? A month ago?"

Tony grinned, Chesire-cat wide.

" Your little back-less black dress, oh I remember that. I remember-"

A finger on his lips again, Ziva's grin spreading.

" Of course you do. And you remember how rushed we were that morning?"

Tony frowned, recalling the memory.

" Yeah, sure. Boss called us in, we had to drop Tony off at the sitter, we forgot my badge, rushed back to the house-"

" It was hectic. And in that amongst all of that, I was a little...forgetful."

Tony blinked, trying to defog his mind. Ziva sighed, tapping his nose gently.

" Before we left, I didn't have _my morning coffee."_

Tony's mouth formed a small 'O', something in his mind clicking.

" Morning coffee...pill...Abby just confirmed it...oh..._oh...OH..."_

Ziva smiled softly, watching her husband's rather shocked expression. Tony took a moment, before sweeping his wife in his arms with a loud yell, pausing to lean down and capture her lips with his.

In the kitchen, Gibbs glanced over at the noise, balancing Tony on his hip, coffee in the other hand. Abby squealed, hugging Tim again, causing both men to look at her. The Goth grinned.

" Let's just say, you'd better get used to pregnant women's club."


	40. Green

**So, this is yet another two parter, brought on by watching some Season 6. God, when Tony gets angry, he really does get angry (even I was cowering in my seat at their argument on screen...) And I have to say, Eli vs Tony in Israel makes me so happy. Tony is far too often portrayed as just a joker, when he's actually extremely competent, something that I really think shines through in that scene. I mean, he turned the Director of Mossad on himself. That takes some skiiiill.**

**_Green_**

" You were wrong."

" You're going to bring this up again? I thought we'd closed the topic."

" We'd closed the topic because half of the office was watching, and I don't know about you, but I don't tend to flaunt my failings."

" _Failings_! Ha! Listen to the saint and his holy sermon!"

" Ha ha, make a joke. Bottom line, you were wrong. Out of line. Whatever you call it."

" In Israel, we'd call it-"

" I don't give a damn. Here, in America, where you happen to be a citizen, we call it out of line. Selfish. Ignorant."

" Oh, you have such a cheek to talk to me about selfish and ignorant! So what, you'd rather I'd just left it?"

" I'd rather you'd listened to me, for once, and just done what you're meant to do, rather than...act the fool."

" Act the fool. This fool just saved an office-"

" And nearly killed herself in the process! You know, you might think you're some kind of untouchable, invincible superwoman. Heads up, you're not. You nearly got blown to-"

" Don't be so dramatic!"

For the first time since they'd started arguing, Tony paused, tongue between his teeth, staring at his wife. It had been a what you'd call 'challenging day'. It was rare that Tony let himself get this worked up, or that Ziva retaliated, but either way, the fuse was lit. He gave a low laugh.

" So you're just going to play it off? It was nothing, just a slight slip up, something that happens everyday, perfectly normal?"

" It was a hiccup, of which there were no major repercussions."

" You know, I'd call a trip to the ER, and a building now rubble repercussions."

" Bruises and a small concussion-"

" You were damn lucky, that's all. Next time, that luck might not be there."

" So you're blaming me for this?"

" You should have waited for EOD. They were 5 minutes away!"

" I had no idea how long we had! So what was I meant to do, just leave it?"

" And waited, like everyone else."

" I am not everyone else-"

" But surprisingly enough, you die like everyone else. No, you had to...show off, had to try and prove something! God knows what it was, but you were on a fucking mission, weren't you?"

Ziva gave a laugh; a dangerous, slow laugh, eyes locked on her husband's furious blue ones.

" _Show off_? I went in there to defuse that bomb!"

" And managed to almost get yourself killed-"

" HOW was I to know there was a second one?"

" You weren't! That's the damn point! If you'd just waited..."

" Then what? Then both of them would have gone off, and who knows what would have happened?"

" You would have been safe."

" I'm plenty safe now."

" Only just. And a hero, at that. How _wonderful_."

Ziva laughed again, clapping her hands together, the noise reverberating off of the walls of the living room.

" That's what this is about? That you didn't get to play savior?"

" I never said anything!"

" No, but it shows plenty well! You're jealous, because all you did was stand on the sidelines!"

" I did as I was told."

" You might as well paint your face green. You stubborn, pig-headed idiot! I've said it before, I'll say it again; jealousy does not wear well on you. You lose your head, and we all know what happens when that occurs!"

Tony's eyes flashed dangerously, taking a step closer to her, attempting to keep the now boiling temper at bay.

" You're going to bring up Rivkin? Now, really? You think this is the time to drag up that little boyfriend of yours that, oh yeah, I just so happened to be _that_ jealous of that I killed him? Because, you know, it had nothing to do with the fact that the bastard attacked me! I simply just lost my head at the sheer idea that someone else might have one upped me, and I ruined your chances to be happy, so instead, you had to settle with this chump, rather than your Israeli pretty boy- what the fuck was that for?"

His rant was effectively silenced with a sharp slap to the face, before Ziva had him pinned to the wall, voice shaking, eyes wild.

" You _dare_ to try that with me, Anthony DiNozzo! Listen to yourself! You're acting like a child, with no reason-"

" You want a reason? Here, try this!"

Tony leant forward, inches from Ziva's face; it was quite possibly the angriest she'd ever seen him. She could tell he was trying to hold his tongue, and watch his temper, but three words in and he was yelling again.

" I love you, we have 3 children and 10 years of marriage together, and, oh yeah, I nearly lost you today. How's that work for you? Because I tell you, personally, I never want to have to contemplate that I've just watched you die again. Standing outside, watching a building collapsing, and listening to everyone wonder how in hell anything inside could possibly have made it, with that anything being the woman you love, is something I never want to repeat, particularly when she didn't have to be there. And trying to get your head around how exactly you'll tell your children Mummy isn't coming home isn't all too pleasant either. So if that makes me childish, stubborn, pig-headed, jealous, whatever, then so be it!"

Ziva, for once, was lost for words; any anger she had seemed somewhat unjustified. The look in his eyes told her that this was not jealousy, or anything she'd suggested. He'd been worried. Of course she knew that. But this worried? And to carry it over even though she was safe...

Tony released himself from her grip, breathing heavily, a little unsure himself of what exactly to say. There was a moment of silence, before he turned from her, stalking away before he said anything else in anger, or anything that he might regret. Ziva watched him go, gnawing a little on her bottom lip.

" Where are you going?"

She got a gruff grunt for a reply as the front door slammed shut, the house eerily quiet now he had gone. She aimed a kick of frustration for the sofa, letting herself fall onto it, head in hands. Of course he'd been worried, that's where that anger had come from. She felt nausea threaten, running a hand through her hair; perhaps he did have a point. She could've waited, it was risky.

" Momma?"

Ziva's head snapped up, meeting two pairs of blue eyes, peeking around the door timidly. She smiled softly, opening her arms and waving them over. Both children ran to her; Abby had clearly been crying, and Tony looked as though he wasn't far from it. She held them close, rocking both soothingly, unsure whether it was more for them or for her. Abby began to sniffle again.

" Come on, _yakiri_. There's no need to cry."

" D-Daddy...D-Daddy was sh-sh-shouting..."

Tony was quick to jump to his father's support, giving his sister a nudge.

" And Mama! It wasn't just Daddy, Abby!"

" But he was sh-shouting loudest..."

Ziva sighed, kissing the little girl.

" It doesn't matter who was shouting what or how loud, it makes no difference. I'm sorry we were shouting. Sometimes, people argue, Mama and Daddy fall out, but that's just the way it is. You and Tony argue, don't you?"

Abby nodded, snuffling.

" But Daddy's never angry. Not like that. Daddy _never_ shouts."

" 'cept at the football."

" But that's _different_ Tony! He was properly angry! Angrier than...than when you hid in the attic all day and they called the police..."

Ziva rolled her eyes, recalling the day perfectly, unconsciously holding her son that bit tighter. It had been a day she'd rather forget; she'd never seen Tony panic like that, or felt so sick, with her first thought being that somehow, Mossad, her father, had a hand in it. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her head, she gave both children a soft squeeze.

" Hey. He was just a little..upset."

" Why?"

" It doesn't matter, he was just worried. Everything will be fine, okay? Do not worry."

She wasn't sure whether she was saying it for them, or for herself.


	41. Sunset

**Part two! Because you know they just couldn't stay mad at each other. Passionate arguments =...ah, you know where this is going.**

**nancy k. nkwhimseycornergmai: Tony Vs Gibbs would be the heavyweights of heavyweights squaring off... It'd make for some pretty epic tv! And I, personally, can't stand the SecNav, so I hope Gibbs chews him up and spits him out! :D**

**_Sunset_**

It was pitch black by the time Ziva heard the car pull up into the driveway outside. Stretched out on the bed, book in hand, she stiffened initially as the front door clicked shut, before relaxing at the familiar padding of her husband's footsteps on the stairs. Outwardly, she was as stoic as ever. Mentally, however, she was having a small breakdown; a flood of relief that he was back, the guilt from her accusations earlier, the want to just have him next to her, to hold him, smell him, feel those arms around her and remind herself of just how lucky she was.

She listened as the footsteps paused in the hall - checking on the kids. It was his nightly habit; they had to be sleeping before he would allow himself to relax. It took him several minutes, and in that time, Ziva ran over and over, in her mind, what she would say. Would he even want to hear it? She'd been wrong, yes, but not just that. She'd brought up Rivkin, she'd pushed buttons she knew better than to toy with. Yet when he actually opened the door, she found herself mute. Looking wearier than usual, with a dark 5 o'clock shadow and tousled hair, Tony cut a figure not of a large ego, filled with the pride of being right for once, but of a man somewhat defeated. There was silence as he stood there, neither willing to be the first to speak, the tension cut as Tony shut the door. Ziva broke the silence, dropping her gaze from his.

" I'm sorry. I was out of line, in the argument. It was petty, bringing up Michael, I was wrong. And today at work. I was wrong today as well. I was reckless, I was selfish, I shouldn't have been in there."

Tony said nothing, turning his back on her as he undressed, making his reaction, if any, unreadable to the now somewhat trembling Ziva. Nevertheless, she continued.

" I understand you were angry. I pushed you, I provoked you. I used Michael to try and gain some upper hand, it was a...a...bottom blow."

" Low blow."

Ziva blinked, startled at his reply.

" S-Sorry?"

He turned to her, finishing with his shirt, leaving him in his boxers, and smirked.

" It's 'low blow', not bottom blow."

She stumbled over a reply, as he sat next to her, unable to read him for the first time in a long time. There was silence again, his eyes settling on her, hers unable to look away. In one swift movement, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers, pushing her down into the bed and underneath him. It was a fierce, passionate kiss, one Ziva found herself powerless against, his tongue not so much battling hers as dominating it, and a strong hand tangling itself in her dark curls. After several minutes, Tony pulled away slowly, a slight pant tinging his breath, looking down at woman below him, a soft smile painting itself onto his face.

" You can be such an idiot sometimes, you know that?"

Ziva reddened, unsure whether to laugh or cry, settling on something in between. She pushed herself up, catching Tony off-guard and ending up in his lap, arms around his neck, sobbing her relief. Tony tutted, curling his arms around her protectively, nuzzling his face against her neck.

" I have had too many people try to take you away from me, Zi."

His voice had taken on a somewhat husky tone, much quieter than usual, and Ziva simply nodded, raising tear-filled dark eyes to his.

" I don't need you trying to help them."

Tony ran a hand across her cheek, softly trailing the stains made by her fallen tears. He was silent, obviously trying to say something but having difficulty, eventually spitting it out through wavering lips.

" Zi...I can't do this on my own. You have to be here with me. And I know, it's who you are, and it's hot as hell that you're like that. But I thought... I thought I'd lost you. For those minutes before you appeared, I felt...felt so lost. Like, I'd lost part of me. And the thought of trying to tell the kids that was..."

He trailed off, content in playing with several strands of her hair rather than continue with that particular train of thought.

" Our jobs are dangerous enough, without you doing something like that. I admire it but we have different responsibilities now. We're parents. The kids, they need us. They need you. I need you. So please..."

He pressed a kiss to the side of her head, holding her tightly. Ziva hiccuped, wiping at her cheeks before facing him again, a smile of her own showing.

" Alright. We'll make a deal. No more stunts. No more acting the hero. For either of us"

Tony opened his mouth to somewhat protest, but was silenced by a finger.

" Chauvinist that you are, it has to be a fair deal. So, on the job, no heroics. And I will kurb my... 'ninja' ways."

Her husband chuckled, kissing the finger silencing him.

" Fine. Deal."

Ziva sighed, leaning her head against his chest, fingers toying with a curl of dark hair on it, enjoying the peace in the silence, the soft thud of his heartbeat against her ear.

" You know, we could always seal this deal..."

She lifted her eyes, meeting that damned grin on his face, blue eyes twinkling.

" Seal it?"

He shrugged, eyes never leaving hers, tongue darting out to lick his lips.

" Our make up sex is always fantastic."

She snorted with laughter, twisting herself around so she was straddling his lap, eyebrow raised in question.

" Since we're making deals, what do I get?'

Tony blinked, before the grin grew large, leaning in to cover his wife in kisses, speaking between each one.

" Baby, you get _hours_ of the best of Anthony D DiNozzo, all to yourself."

Ziva giggled, feeling immensely child-like, and enjoying it, running a hand through his smooth hair as his lips found hers.

"Deal."


	42. Years

**Do you know how much I hate Jeanne Benoit? A lot. A lot a lot a lot. This one was hard to do nicely. On a side note, if you have anything you'd like to see, scenarios etc, please PM me, and I'll see what I can do! :D**

**_Years_**

" She's pretty hot."

" The brunette? Pretty hot. Nice dress too. I do love a little black number"

" Although, that red head is pretty wow too."

" Red-head? Nah, that's more your Grandpa's area of expertise."

" Change is good though, right?"

Tony grinned over his martini, taking a sip.

" I doubt your mother would see it that way - hey, is that alcoholic?"

His son smirked, brandishing his own 'martini'.

" Don't be silly, the bartenders don't serve 7 year olds. It's lemonade. But I made them put it in the glass with the olive."

At a rather amused look from his father, the boy huffed.

"I'm in a full tux! A soda would look ridiculous."

Tony snorted with laughter.

" Hurry up and get a little older, and we'll delve a little further into the DiNozzo guide to life. Some of my favourite chapters, too..."

" You mean that trick where you take her bra and-"

" Time and a place, kid. We're in tuxedos, holding martinis. We talk about muscle cars, and our expensive suits..."

" Fred Astaire and Italian heritage?"

He clapped a hand to the boy's back, grinning proudly.

" You have learnt well, _mio figlio."_

" Taught by the best, _padre_."

Tony laughed again, turning around to the barman.

" Another martini, please, sir."

" You're still drinking those things?"

The new voice made both DiNozzo men turn, the younger's face lighting up in a smirk, the elder's jaw almost hitting the floor as he turned the same colour as his shirt. A tanned woman stood, short red cocktail dress, beautiful figure and a face Tony could never forget.

" Y-You...Wh-what...I mean...I thought you'd moved abroad?"

The woman smiled, flicking back a brown curl, watching the still somewhat gaping man.

" I moved back two years ago. A resident at City. They're supporting this charity, so I got sent along..."

" O-Oh, congratulations."

" Are you still with N...NCI-"

" NCIS. Yeah, I uh, I'm a Special Agent in Charge now. Same sort of premise, here for face."

" Oh, I see... well done, I guess."

There was a heavy silence as the two stopped talking, intermitted by the sound of shuffling and a slight cough. The boy caught between gave his father a sly elbow to the ribs. Tony winced, catching his eye, before turning back to their new 'guest'.

" This is Tony, my son. Tony, this is...this is Jeanne. Jeanne... Benoit?"

Jeanne nodded, taking in the mini-Tony before her.

" Still Benoit. Career first, always. Another DiNozzo, huh?"

The younger DiNozzo nodded with the trademark grin, sticking out a hand.

" Anthony. But you can call me Tony."

Jeanne took it gently, managing a slight chuckle.

" Well, he's definitely yours, if looks didn't give it away. You sure he had a mother?"

Tony laughed, clearly somewhat less uncomfortable than he was minutes ago.

" Ah yes, definitely. My wife, Ziva."

Jeanne blinked, smile clearly somewhat forced.

" Married, huh?"

Tony swallowed, giving a small wave of his left hand.

" Yeah. 8 years, and 3 kids to show for it."

" There's more little clones?"

" Ah, not exactly. There's Tony here, and my little girl, Abigail, she's 5, and our youngest, Timotheos, he's just coming up for 3. They both take a lot after their mother."

There was silence again, both resigned to taking sips of their drink to avoid any deeper conversation than a) work, b) family, or c) (God help him) the weather. This, thankfully, was avoided by the arrival of two small saving graces, one in a small suit and tie, the other in a light blue dress, hair in curled pigtails. Abi paused at the sight of this new woman, eyeing her with some suspicion, whilst Timmy demanded to be picked up, nuzzling into his father's neck and sighing happily, dark eyes closing.

" Tired, little man?"

The little boy nodded, as his sister piped up.

" Daddy! Mama says you have to come over because Uncle Ducky's telling his stories again, and you promised her a...a..."

" Cosmopopilan."

" Costomocalan."

" No, it's cosotopilan."

" Cosmopolitan."

" Thank you Daddy! Silly brothers. You promised her a cosmopolitan nearly half an hour ago!"

Tony placed a hand on his daughter's head, pushing her forward gently..

" And a cosmopolitan she will get. First, do me a favour and say hello to this lovely lady for me. Jeanne, this is Abi and Timmy. Guys, this is Jeanne. She's...an old friend of mine."

Timmy cracked open an eye and waved one chubby hand, whilst Abi put on a large, dazzling grin, watching the woman closely. Jeanne smiled again, eyes softening at the sight of Tony with his youngest. Tony cleared his throat, nodding his head to Tony and Abi.

" Tell your mother, I'll 5 minutes, and I shall have her beloved cocktail."

There was twin nods, Abi grabbing her brother's hand and dragging him off towards the table, where Tony could clearly make out the shapes of his team mates. He turned back to Jeanne, smiling softly.

" Someone once told me kids are all worth it in the end. Most accurate advice I ever got. Took a lot to remember it through all the late nights and the tantrums though."

It elicited a small laugh from the woman, who was still watching Timmy.

" They're beautiful children. He takes after your wife, huh?"

" Huh? Oh, Tim? Yeah. Ziva's hair, skin, eyes... Hey, _mesero_, a cosmopolitan please."

" That woman from the photo. The one in your apartment. That's who he looks like."

Tony paused, watching her carefully, unsure of how exactly to reply.

" Yeah...that's Zi. She was my partner... Israeli, hence the slightly exotic look the kids have. Well, bar Tony."

Timmy piped up, opening one sleepy eye.

" That's 'cuz he's a clone."

Tony chuckled, shuffling the toddler into his other arm.

" I thought you were sleeping."

" A'most..."

A cocktail was slid across the bar to Tony, who picked it up in his spare hand, pausing before speaking again.

" It's been good speaking to you, Jeanne."

She nodded, somewhat more subdued.

" I'm glad... I'm glad you're happy, Tony."

" You too. Who knows, maybe we'll bump in to each other. Two sons, the ER know me pretty well by now."

She laughed again, only a light one though. Tony gave a slight nod before turning and heading back towards the table, Timmy opening his eyes to peek at the women over his father's shoulder, giving her a small wave. Jeanne caught the lump in her throat, and turned and made a quick dash for the door.


	43. Summer

**Okay, so firstly guys. I have to say a MASSIVE sorry for the delay. I've been having some connection issues and it's taken a week for them to sort my line -_-. Not cool at all. During that week, both me and my little boy managed to catch colds, so you can only imagine the fun. So, major apologies for that.**

**Thank you so much for all your messages/reviews, you know I love them! Thank you too for all the plot suggestions, some of which had already been brewing in my sleep-deprived mind, and are writing up pretty well, so stay tuned! ;D **

**As usual, some replies:**

**stomper55555: **

**I'm rather glad I convinced you! I hate Jeanne-hate outrightly, which sounds a bit contradictory, I know, but lemme explain. I didn't like Jeanne because of Jeanne; I thought she was a bit of a weak character, a bit too stereo-typical, whiney, a little too needy too. Tony needs someone with a bit more flair, more chemistry (IMHO ^_^). But my hate began when Tony told her who he was; she never even gave the poor guy a chance. If Tony was genuinely happy with her, I'd support it (with a grumbling of Tiva in there, but hey ho), but she completely cut him off. I mean, I know finding out your beloved boyfriend's a federal agent would be a bit of an issue, but she never even gave him the chance to explain really. And he really did love her. I guess that may be part of it too; my jealousy (for Ziva of course), that he actually loved her. And of course, I hated his whole depression faze. I hated on her for that. So I hate stories that set out with Tony constantly bashing Jeanne, because I have huge doubts that he would ever say a bad word against her, or mock her (unless it was tiny, private joke between him and Ziva, and even then, I think it'd be extremely light hearted). He really doesn't strike me as the sort of guy that would mouth off about an ex. ANYWAY. Speech over, I'm glad you enjoyed it! :)**

**nancy k. nkwhimseycornergmai:**

**I do feel a little sorry for her, they kinda wrote her like that, but then Tony's so depressed, and she is so bloody harsh on him...Like I said above, poor guy never really gets a chance to prove he actually meant what he said. I take the guy's side naturally, tho', so I guess I'm biased :3**

**As always guys, enjoy, and review away! :D**

* * *

><p><strong><em>Summer<em>**

" McGeek."

" McBookworm."

" McGemcity."

" McBest-Selling-Author."

"McDeepSix."

"McGregor."

"Elf Lord."

" Probie."

" Probalicious."

" McProbie."

" Probe-Elf."

" TIM."

McGee glanced over from his book with a sigh of exasperation, raising an eyebrow.

" Tony?"

" Are you reading?"

" Yes. Got a problem with it?"

His partner scoffed, sitting up and raising his sunglasses, eyeing him with a look of contempt and disgust.

" We're sitting on a beach in Spain, and you're reading a book. In the shade."

" Yeah. I burn easily, and I'm taking time out to relax. You're sleeping on your beach towel, I'm reading. Same difference. Like I said, got a problem with it?"

" Tanning, Probie. I'm tanning. Something my Italian heritage allows, unlike you, McSunburn. What's that, two days? Two days, one of which you spent mostly covered up from head to toe, and you've turned into a McLobster."

Tim rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the book, as Tony eyed the beach front, where Ziva and Abby were keeping a watchful eye on their respective broods. Tony and Leroy were having a rather boisterous game in the sand, which seemed to consist of building trenches, and attacking each other's creations at any given moment. Abi was constructing a large sandcastle, with Jen happily building a smaller one next door, and from what Tony could tell, there was a whole story to go with the structure, including the dragons that lived in the trenches across the sand. Ziva sat in the shallow water, an armband-ed Timmy in her lap, who squealed every time he splashed, and Abby cooing to him, basking in the hot summer sun.

" So, is LJ Tibbs and the gang going to be going on holiday any time soon?"

" I said drop the Deep Six references."

" Just saying."

Tim ignored him, turning his attention to the beach.

" Ah, to be young and carefree."

" I am young and carefree."

Tim snorted with laughter, laying his book aside.

" Carefree perhaps."

" Watch where you're going, McBaldSpot."

" Hey! It's just a little thinning, alright? Like you can talk."

" I have a full head of hair, albeit slightly receding."

" Yeah, but it's going gray."

" A small number of hairs, Probie. I happen to think it makes me look distinguished. Gray is sexy, anyway."

Tim glanced behind them, automatically looking for the one man to head slap him for disagreeing.

" What?"

" Thought you saw Boss."

" Aw, c'mon! You think I was just brown-nosing? Isn't he back yet, anyway?"

" Said he was going fishing, for dinner."

" We're on holiday, and he's going to get dinner. We could go out!"

" But why go out, DiNozzo, when you can have the best of Spanish seafood fresh?"

Tony gulped, tilting his head back as a shadow obstructed his beloved sunlight.

" You're, eh, kinda standing in my sun there, Boss. Not that it's a problem of course."

Gibbs gave his usual small smirk, seating himself on the spare sun lounger, and recoiling.

" So where's dinner then?"

He looked at the rather enthusiastic Tim.

" Back at the house, of course. Unless you want to leave fresh crabs out in the sun."

" Oh, of course..."

Their peace was interrupted as the two budding princesses appeared, immediately pouncing on the unsuspecting Gibbs.

" Gran'pa!"

" We need your help!"

Abi nodded vigorously, pointing to the structures.

" With our sandy castles!"

" Because they're not very big!"

Tony gave McGee a sly nudge, murmuring under his breath.

" Must run in the family."

Tim aimed a swat for the other man, who ducked out of the just in time, chortling with laughter.

" You're such a kid."

" I thought it was funny."

Tim pulled his daughter to him, kissing her head gently.

" How come you didn't ask me? And Tony, huh?"

Abi pulled a face.

" Because last time Daddy got involved, he ended up turning it into a Ferrari. Then he got mad cuz it wasn't right and smashed it up."

" And you, Daddy! You try and measure it, and get the right _type_ of sand, and the right _wetness_, but it's only a sandy castle and you're just not very good."

Tony opened his mouth, impending sarcastic comment instantly silenced by a glare from the younger agent. Gibbs stood up, taking both girls by the hand and letting them pull him to their little fortress, instructing him on how exactly they wished for the castles to look, including the desire for a moat. Jethro set about obediently doing as they'd asked, much to their glee. Tony and Tim looked on, with a shared disgust.

" Him and his sandcastle skills."

" What makes him so special?"

" I hope the boys smash it."

" I hope he makes it fall."

They looked at each other, before laughing again, the ridiculousness of it all hilarious.

" Good ol' Grandpa Tibbs, huh?"

A book was hurled in the his direction with a curse.


	44. Safety

**_Safety_**

She had no idea what time it was, or why she was awake, but she was.

The house was silent, no whimpers or cries from the children, and the deep breathing of the body next to her told her that her husband was still drifting his way through sleep. Yet, the elusive land would not come to her, no matter how hard she tried. In the end, she gave in to the whisperings of her mind, letting it drift, and wound up staring into the face of said husband, who was still blissfully snoring. She let her eyes wander over his face, a chance to study him; she found it hard not to be drawn to his eyes when he was awake.

But with those eyes shut, she could detail much more. The lines chasing from his mouth, a trace of that trademark grin, even when it wasn't present. The soft creases in his forehead, a reminder of that deep-thinking worrier that she knew lurked beneath any joker facade he had. A handful of gray hairs, (Tony blamed the children and marriage), the stubble across his broad jaw, a small scar obtained in college above his left eyebrow, everything Ziva could map. Everything Ziva loved. She snuggled her way into him and rested her head against his chest, listening to the heart pounding beneath it, fingers curling in his chest hair absentmindedly, and breathed in the musky scent she knew as his. To her, these were all familiar, what she searched for when awoken, panicked, by nightmares, and familiar was safety. Safety, a word she thought she'd never use after all these years, something she'd always thought would be out of reach for her. Yet here, lying with Tony, safe was an understatement.

She was so lost in her mind-wandering that she almost jumped as a hand brushed over her hips, coming to rest at the small of her back, pulling her body flush against his, and his lips found her ear, spare hand tangling itself in her hair.

" You alright there, sweet cheeks?"

His voice, deep and soft, was hot on her skin, sending goosebumps crawling along her arms, and a shiver jolting through her. She nuzzled into him in response, planting a soft kiss on his neck.

" Never better."

" Then why we awake at 3am?"

He traced circles in her back with his thumb, leaning his chin on top of her head. Ziva laughed softy, replying with a shrug.

" I am, as you say, a night hawk?"

Tony snorted.

" Owl, hun. Although, maybe for you, hawk is more appropriate..."

Ziva laughed again, pulling away far enough to meet his eyes. She'd never met anyone with eyes as... _captivating _as his. Watchful, analytical, probing, like a hawk, with a deep vein of love, and a twinkle of mischief, so undeniably Tony. She loved them. They changed, depending on time and place. At work, confronting a suspect in interrogation, they were hard, sharp, blue like ice. At home, playing dress up with Abby, goofing off with Tony and Tim, they were gentle, ice turned to puddles; puddles of love, of pride, of devotion.

Ziva knew, regardless of her training and expertise, that Tony was her safety net. She could handle herself, but there was something different about having her husband around, a different kind of safety. Someone to trust, without (much) question, someone who always had her back; someone to allow her to forget the past, and become just an ordinary woman, prodding him to check the noise downstairs, or to fix the TV, or bath the children. A normal family life, something neither could have claimed to have had growing up, and Ziva felt almost smug for managing to procure it for her own children. Of course, Tony had a large part to play in that, and she'd known from day one, despite his insecurities, that he'd be a wonderful husband and father.

She reached up, and found his lips with her own, her hands wrapping themselves around his neck, enjoying the gentle intimacy of the moment, until Tony pulled away first, saying nothing, but cocking an eyebrow. Ziva shrugged softly, fingers playing with his hair, planting a sole kiss on his lips, before pulling herself back against him, familiar heartbeat thudding in her ear again.

"Just hold me, Tony?"

It was neither a question or a demand; more of a subtle plead. Her husband chuckled softly, the deep rumblings in his chest making her smile.

" You have to ask?"

Warm, broad arms encircled her, and Ziva sighed, content, watching his chest rise and fall, until she felt sleep beginning to tug at the corners of her mind. As she gave in, lips found her forehead, and she could almost see Tony smile as he spoke.

" Sweet dreams, hun."

Safe, and warm, and in the arms of her best friend and very own guardian; how could they not be?

**I know, I know.  
>Drabble as a come-back present, how terrible of me.<br>I promise there shall be longer ones to come! **


	45. Months

**_Months_**

" Who's the most gorgeous little baby? That's _right_! It's _you_! You, you, you!"

" Don't give him an ego boost, Abs. He's already got the genes..."

" Tim! He's just a baby! Just a gorgeous, handsome little man!"

The baby gurgled, a wide, toothless grin plastering his face, as Abby hoisted him into her lap, cooing, as she swung gently in Gibb's chair. Ziva glanced over from her desk, watching with a smile as her son entertained the goth and Tim.

" So have you thought about any names yet, Abby?"

The goth nodded, still captivated by the baby.

" I mean, I know I still have 3 months to go, but it's never too early right?"

Ziva nodded her agreement, as Tim bent down to speak to the baby.

" She wants to buy him a little coffin to sleep in..."

Abby grinned, and Ziva played along happily.

" Oh, I think that is a wonderful idea!"

Tim glanced up, visibly paling, however, his reply was cut off as the elevator pinged, and Ducky appeared, smiling brightly.

" I heard we had a visitor in with us today!"

Little Tony stared, watching the older man approach, as Ducky grinned widely, bending down to study the young baby.

" And it is indeed the young Master DiNozzo! What a handsome chap you are, young man. He is looking well, Ziva. Much bigger than last time I saw him, bright as a button, clearly listening to every word... what a sharp little mind...How old is he now? 8 and a half months?"

" Just turned 9 months two days ago. Time has flown..."

" As it often does. You know, an infant mind is like a sponge, soaking up everything he or she sees, hears, tastes, experiences... No doubt, he already has some of his own traits, and has picked up habits from those around him..."

He reached out, a finger tickling under the baby's chin, making his squeal in delight, and again, beam that toothless grin. Ducky chuckled, shooting Ziva a smirk.

"My, my, he does take after Anthony, doesn't he?"

Ziva snorted with laughter, standing up to lean against her desk, watching with soft eyes.

" Because I have _not_ heard that one before. Clearly, things do not work evenly in the trouser pool."

" That'd be 'gene' pool, sweet-cheeks. Unless you're still dating. S'pose that could be the trouser pool..."

She rolled her eyes, turning to face her newly arrived husband, who gave her an innocent look as he dumped his bag on his deak.

" What? Only helping!"

Her response was her lack of one, as she pushed herself off of the table.

" I shall be back, Vance wants to see me."

Tony glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow. Ziva smiled innocently, brushing past him with a pat to the chest.

" And Tony has just been fed. Don't let him fool you into another bottle."

He looked over at the baby, before back at his wife, who was by now climbing the illustrious stairs to Vance's office. Tony considered it for a moment, before deciding to leave it, that he'd get answers later tonight. He sauntered over and perched on Gibbs' desk, eyeing his son, who Abby was happily bouncing on her knee, with a smile.

" Here, Tim! Have a cuddle with him. He's so darn cute!"

McGee visibly gulped, hands taking on a slight tremble as he was handed the baby. Tony took the chance to pounce on him.

" Still not baby confident, Tim? No worries, you'll be McGooGooGaga after a week..."

Tim gave him a slight glare, going back to doing his best to rock the infant in his arms. Tony clapped him on the back, clearly reveling in the younger agent's discomfort. Ducky carefully adjusted his hold on the little one, giving slight pointers.

" Make sure his cervical vertebrae are supported if you hold him like that, particularly with younger babies. Their atlas and axis vertebrae are still rather soft, and the muscles surrounding it quite weak, so it's important for their development. You know, I once knew of a couple who had an infant..."

Ducky continued on his usual ramble, as the younger Tony in Tim's arms gave the agent an eyeballing, quickly noting the change from confident Aunt Abby to rather nervous Uncle Timmy. The baby watched him carefully, lip slowly starting to protrude, sniffling, and his breath began to hitch, little face furrowing.

" Uh, Tony?"

McGee's alarmed tone brought a look of fiendish glee to the elder agent, who was content to watch him struggle for a moment.

" It's all good practice Tim. Just bring him up to your chest and comfort him."

Tim looked as though he'd just been asked to wrestle a bear, or rather, tell Gibbs there was no more coffee. The baby's wails began to pick up, and he paled further, doing his best to comfort the young child. But it was to no avail, as the younger DiNozzo let rip, small face turning red at his screaming. McGee looked desperately between Abby, Ducky and Tony, rocking the wailing baby.

" Guys, c'mon!"

It was Tony who relented first, Abby content to watch him 'gain practice', and listen as Ducky continued his story, regardless of the screaming infant. After several minutes of watching Tim flounder, he hoisted his son from his arms, bringing him in tightly to his chest, and gently murmuring hushes in his ear. The effect was almost instant. The baby calmed, small fists curling his his father's shirt, snuffling, as he took in the new face that held him. After several hiccups and sniffles, he was quiet again, content to stare at his father, and laugh as he was tickled.

" Dada!"

Tony beamed, bouncing him gently as the noise ceased, as Tim stared on, half in confusion, half in admiration. Abby, on the other hand, cooed and aww'd.

" He talks! You never told us that!"

" He's got mama and dada down... baba, that's food...The rest is just sort of babbles, but we're getting there..."

" He's so cute! Such a clever boy! Aren't you?"

The young Tony, his head resting against his father's chest, giggled, watching as Abby pulled faces and cooed at him. Ducky placed a hand on Tim's shoulder, patting it softly.

" No worries, Timothy! You have 3 months to prepare yourself!"

" Gee, thanks Duck."

Tony shot the younger agent a grin, like a predator hunting his prey.

" We can give you plenty of practice. I can even give you lessons, Probie. Like, how to change a diaper quickly."

" Speed isn't everything, Tony."

" It is if you don't want to end up being peed in the face."

Tim's already pale face went white. Months were going to turn into minutes. 

**__Poor McGoo. I was watching the episode with the Korean military wives. The part where Gibbs takes the baby, instead of a nervous McGee, made me giggle, so here you go.**

**How I wish I'd had a Tony around to teach me that last lesson. Ah well, the hard way is always a great teacher!**

**Thank you all for your lovely reviews and welcome-backs, they really brightened my day. I read them all to my son, who is probably too young to understand, but listened in anyway. What a good sport he is. There shall be responses in the coming updates, I promise! **


	46. Breakfast

**_Breakfast_**

Breakfast time.

In the DiNozzo household, it had once been a quiet, easy affair; passable on occasions as they were called out to work, used as romantic gestures on others.

Then Tony had been born, and suddenly, 'breakfast' blurred into early morning, which blurred into the rest of the day, and Ziva found herself forgetting what this foreign idea was, as sleep came fitfully, and in naps with her son.

As time went on, two more were added to the brood, and she'd given up the idea that it would ever return to a simple pleasure undertaken each morning. Now, with 3 school-going children, a husband and a job, breakfast was practically a military operation, and everybody played their own part.

Timmy was almost always the first one up, the first one to sit down at the table, and the first one to leave the house. On school mornings, he awoke like early, like clockwork (something Ziva was proud to say he'd inherited from her), and always had clean uniform, and his homework completed. She loved the time she found with him; he would often recite morning prayer with her, the two would eat breakfast together, the morning news in the background, and talk easily. It may not have been the breakfast of old, but it was peaceful, and usually gave her a bright start to her morning.

Her eldest son, on the other hand, was poles apart from his younger brother; it was like chalk and cheese. She heard his alarm go off, the unamused grunts she knew as his new-found teenage language followed, before he decided to roll back over. She would wake him several times, only to be on the end of a grumpy, snappy reply, as he clung desperately to any time in bed, before finally conceding as she threatened to drag him out of bed by his ear. After finally being pulled from his duvet, Tony would slouch his way downstairs, forgoing clothes for a pair of boxers or sweatpants, and collapse in a chair, managing to pour himself a bowl of cereal, and chomp through, doing a remarkable impression of a member of the undead. Ziva spent the next twenty minutes chewing his ear off, often giving him a slap to accompany it, before the boy would finally disappear upstairs, shower and change. It was a miracle he missed the bus as few times as he did, in her opinion.

Abigail was not far behind this record, but for far different reasons than laziness. She was often awake early, but spent most of her time showering, fretting over her clothes and hair, and trying to apply make-up, text and eat breakfast all at once. Ziva had tried to convince her several times that she needed none of it, but Abi was not to be swayed (despite the regular ridicule from her father and brothers). She was set in her ways, and in her mother's opinion (despite the make-up), she was always beautiful, much to Tony's chagrin of course (her father would much rather she went to school in a bin bag, armed to the teeth with pepper spray and possibly a taser in her bag, with a deep loathing of anything male).

The patriarch himself, of course, could not be forgotten. Ziva often swore she had 4 children when it came to mornings; Tony had clearly taken after his father. The elder DiNozzo was famous for his rants aimed at the alarm clock, the fights with the shower, the curses aimed at the cat when he went flying over it, and the speed at which he could descend the stairs when Ziva reminded him just how late he was running. Somehow, and his wife was yet to work out what witchcraft or voodoo was used, he always looked pristine, even when awakening 10 minutes before leaving the house (not that she minded, of course; she liked him in a suit, after all..).

Then it was a quick flurry of goodbyes, kisses, 'don't forget!'s, sarcasm and laughter, and the house was empty, three children making their way to the bus and the parents fighting the morning DC traffic. As Ziva glanced over paperwork, and Tony alternated between cursing fellow drivers, and singing his heart out to any song on the radio, they shared a content smile, and she found it hard to imagine the day when there would be silence again in the mornings.


	47. Beginnings

**First off, a massive apology (AGAIN!) for my tardiness. Life seems to steal my muse from me. But with my growing excitement for the Season 9 finale, I managed to claw it back, and I bring you this! I have every finger and toe crossed that the writers haven't been building all this tension in the season for nothing... I'm such a fanboy, honestly.**

**So this is for all of you that are still with me, patient, wonderful humans that you are. You are all loved very much.**

_**Beginnings**_

The question came over dinner one night, completely out of the blue.

" Daddy. I have a very serious question for you."

Tony glanced up from his plate, wide-eyed, fork halfway to his mouth, looking very so much like a deer caught in the headlights that Ziva had to snort with laughter. He watched his youngest son, worry growing at the contemplative, and rather deep look on his face.

" Shoot, Timmy."

" Well..."

The little boy pushed his plate away, and sat back, folding his arms.

" I want to know how we got here."

The silence that rang out following his words was tangible. Tony stared at him, trying to decipher what _exactly_ that meant. His eldest, through a mouthful of pasta, made a sarcastic jibe that had become his norm as he had embraced teen-hood.

" We walked in the front door, came through to the kitchen-"

Tony received a glare from his young brother in response. He shrugged, and went back to piling food in his mouth, earning a swat around the ear from his mother.

" Good heavens, do you have to eat like a pig? I was sure we'd instilled some manners in you. Now, Timmy, _yakiri_, what do you mean?"

" Well...you and Daddy got together, right, and had us... but how?"

Abi scoffed, glancing up from her cell phone with a roll of her eyes.

" Oh lord. It's THE question, el heffe. How you gonna handle this one?"

" I was pretty sure they'd have taught him the bits and tits at school by no- OWW!"

Ziva shot her eldest a filthy look as he recoiled, clutching his ear.

" We are at the dinner table. And for the record, 'tits' is such a vulgar word. If you must make it your topic of discussion, at least use 'breasts'. Just because your father struggles in his respect for the female body does not mean you will."

" HEY! I do _not_ struggle-"

" I don't see what's wrong with the word 'tits'! 'Breasts' is so un-sexy..."

" Because they have a purpose other than to serve the filthy dreams of your corrupt little mind, and serve as a focal point for your approaches and verdicts of women! And Abigail, I've told you about your cell phone at the dinner table!"

" I was replying to Becky!"

" Well, I am sure Miss Palmer will be there when we are finished, so for now-"

" HEY!"

The entire table stopped their bickering, turning to stare at the mop of brown curls that glared at them.

" I had a _question_!"

Tony cleared his throat, placing his fork down.

" Well, son, when a man loves a woman-"

" I don't mean that!"

The table was silent, once again lost, settling back into their seats. Timmy rolled his eyes.

" What I _mean_ is... You and Momma worked together, right? But you worked together for ages before you actually got married and had us... So how come it took you so long to get together?"

The parents glanced at each other, slightly bemused; Tony had frankly been better prepared for the question on baby-making than this. Ziva, rather thankfully, cut in first.

" Well, you know about your Grampa's rules... Rule 12 is-"

" Never date a co-worker."

" Thank you, Abigail. So, because we respect him, we respected that."

Timmy mused for a second, eating another mouthful before replying.

" But you _did_ get together. You ignored it after all...so come how it was after so long?"

" He kinda has a point, you know. How come you didn't just get together from the start?"

This time, it was Tony that answered, after realising that this matter was not just going to disappear.

" Well, it takes time to get to know someone-"

" Years?"

" She took longer than usual falling under the DiNozzo charm.."

He shot his wife a playful grin, taking a bite of food. Ziva scoffed, before turning back to her children.

" There were...complications. We had to think about work too. We both saw other people..."

All three children protested this.

" But WHY?"

" You said you loved her!"

" Wasn't he good enough?"

Tony and Ziva shared a look of slight exasperation between them, mingled with a smile. Ziva shushed their shouts, holding up a finger.

" We were very different people when we first met. It took us a long time to change, and adapt, and...work things out. There were many bumps along the way, many other people involved, but if you want to believe, at the end of the day, fate had it planned out. I wanted to settle down, have something stable in my life. Your father wanted to have a family around him. It made sense to get together. So we did, and we had you three."

The younger Tony wrinkled his nose.

" You make it sound very matter-of-fact. Very...procedural. What about love,and attraction..." He shot his father a very DiNozzo look, wriggling his eyebrows. " _Lust._"

The elder snorted into his plate, whilst his mother looked on with a mixture of exasperation, and almost pride.

" How very romantic of you, Anthony. I almost thought you were going to come out with something deep there"

" I tried."

Clearing his throat, Tony Senior spoke, eyes fixed on his wife, smirking playing across his lips.

" It did help that your mother was the beautiful Israeli ninja that she was, and still is, that I will not deny."

" And perhaps your father was not quite as annoying as he had been at the beginning. That seems to have got better with age. He also decided to shave too."

Tony gained colour in his cheeks at her comment, shooting his wife an indignant look. Ziva giggled, raising an eyebrow, as the younger occupants of the tableglanced amongst themselves, puzzled.

" Isn't that right, my little furry bear?"

" The name is Jean-Paul, Sophie."

Ziva burst into loud peals of laughter, placing a hand over her mouth, as Tony laughed around his glass, their children looking completely confused.

" What the heck are you guys on about?"

Ziva waved off the question and turned back to Timmy, controlling her laughter as Tony stood up to fetch another drink.

" It is a long story. Maybe when you are older. So does that answer your question, Timotheos?"

Timmy shrugged and nodded, content, and there was peaceful silence again as they continued eating. Ziva caught her husband's eye across the room, his smirk returning, a clear reminder to her that he recalled much more than the nicknames from that particularly mission, and a rather devilish smile of her own found its way onto her lips. As far as operations went, that had been one of her favourites, and the beginning of many things to come.

" Hey, so, quick question, casting back. Just so I'm clear. Am I allowed to say boobs, or is that-OWW, HEY, IT WAS LEGIT!"


	48. Boots

**So, this chapter is for Jet1967, who's rather lovely PM set my creative muse on a bit of a roll. Two chapters in two days? I'm hoping this sticks around. Jet, I'm hoping you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!**

**This goes for all my lovely readers and reviewers - if you have anything you'd like to suggest, or like to see, please get in touch! Either leave a review, or PM me - I don't bite, honest! (: I can't promise that I can fit your idea in with my remaining themes (or do it justice!), but I will do my best! **

**As always, R+R, and enjoy! (:**

_**Boots**_

It was a quiet, beautiful Spring day; sky of blue, and not a cloud in sight. It would have been the perfect day to white-wash the fence, or repaint the garage door, but instead, Gibbs found himself in his basement, the beginnings of his new boat taking place. As he sanded quietly, a knock at the door sounded from upstairs.

" Just come in, it's-"

" Open, I know. When has it ever been locked?"

Jethro turned with a laugh, coming to face his eldest grandson, dressed in his Marine blues. Tony gave him a grin, before removing his hat, descending the stairs and joining him next to the skeleton of the ship, surveying it over.

" For Amira's baby?"

Gibbs nodded with a wry smile.

" I've always said you were awfully attentive for a DiNozzo."

" It's the David in me."

The older man laughed, fetching the famed bottle of bourbon and two glasses, pouring a shot for himself and one for the younger. As he turned back to face his guest, the sight of the uniform, and crew cut, drew him back to his own days of wearing it, days long since past. It was nostalgic to say the least, but these days, mixed with immense pride at the younger DiNozzo who he called his grandson, and who had followed in his footsteps.

" Encouraging under-age drinking, Gramps?"

" Having a nip with a fellow devil dog, I'd say."

Tony laughed, seating himself on the edge of the work bench, and taking a sip. Jethro leant against the opposite bench, and watched him over the rim of his glass, an eyebrow cocked.

" So. What can I do for you?"

Tony swirled his drink in the glass, not quite meet his eye.

" Do I need a reason to visit my favourite grandfather?"

" Your favourite? I didn't realise there was a running order."

The younger man snorted, taking another sip of his drink.

" I haven't seen _saba_ in years, and the last time I saw DiNozzo the first was his wedding to bride number 5. I guess you're right."

Gibbs half-smiled, eyes still fixed on the young man.

" So how come you're all dressed up?"

" I had some stuff to do, and then decided to come here before I went home."

" Stuff?"

Tony glanced up, meeting the pair of ice blue, inquisitive eyes. He was silent for a moment.

"...We're deploying. In 2 weeks."

Gibbs took a breath in, taking a drink with it. So that was it. He'd known something was bugging the younger DiNozzo from the moment he'd sat down.

" Well, ain't that what you've been training for? Or do you just want to spend your life doing PT and drill?"

Tony scoffed, shooting Gibbs a skeptical look.

" I'm already doing it in my sleep, and in the shower. No, I'm ready, in my skills. As ready as I'll ever be. I'm just..."

He faltered for a word, before giving up and shrugging, taking another drink. Gibbs watched him, waiting for an answer, yet knowing it before it came.

" Scared?"

" _Nervous._"

It was a sharp reply from the younger man, blue eyes instantly meeting each other, a fierce defensive against perceived criticism. Tony held the gaze for a moment, before becoming intently occupied with his glass, guard dropping.

" Alright, maybe a little scared too."

Jethro smirked, pushing himself away from his perch to cross and sit next to the boy, who glanced at him from the side of eye.

" Ya think, DiNozzo? You look 5 again, when you do that. Guilty of being caught from the cookie jar. So what's the problem? Everyone gets nervous first tour. Heck, even past that."

Tony fiddled with his glass, still not meeting the elder man's eyes.

" So I've been told. But I'm a Marine, I'm not meant to be scared. Proud to serve, and brave in the face of adversity."

Gibbs had to smile. " And you're human. Being scared is natural. You're still doing it, aren't you? Putting your life on the line to serve, regardless of your fears. Makes it all the more admirable."

" But everyone that's gone before me, I bet they weren't all quaking in their boots. Kate, Dad always said she was one of the bravest people he knew. Agent Cassidy, she died saving you, didn't she? Director Shepherd, everyone I've ever heard about seemed to have no problem putting themselves in harms way. And here's me, scared to go."

Jethro waited until he was finished, watching as the young man gave an almighty sigh, before leaning over and cuffing the back of his head, somewhat affectionately.

" Like I said, kid, you're human. What makes the difference is pressing through those fears, and getting on with the job. Heck, I was terrified my first deployment. You train, and train, and then get out there, and none of it really helps. It gets easier though. You get used to your gun, you get used to the fire. Even the best get scared. Your dad, for instance, wet himself after firing a gun for the first time."

Tony choked on drink, spluttering with laughter.

" Dad _wet himself_? He never told me that! He said he'd taken to it like a duck to water!"

" Duck to an ice rink, more like. Your mum though, that sounds more like her."

Tony's cheeriness drooped slightly, acknowledging the remark.

" Between you, Dad and Mum, I've got Big Foot's boots to fill."

Gibbs chuckled, taking the empty glass from him.

" You have your own boots to fill first. You're still just a kid. Give it a little time. By the time you're sitting here, tour finished, those boots will fit you."

Tony pushed himself off the work bench, straightening his jacket.

" If you say so."

Gibbs stuck out his hand in reply, smirking, and clasped the younger man's hand firmly.

" Oorah, marine."

" Sir, yes, sir."

In one swift movement, Jethro pulled him in for a tight hug. Tony, surprised at first, quickly squeezed him back, before pulling away with a somewhat shy grin.

" Thanks Gramps." That grin quickly changed to a cocky, lop-sided smirk. " I'll come back with stories of my heroic tales, and manage not to wet myself my first firefight."

Gibbs smirked. " Let's not run before you can walk, kiddo. C'mon, go upstairs and grab a pair of sweats and a shirt and give me a hand with this sanding. You might even manage to get another glass of Bourbon if you're lucky."

Tony's laugh echoed with the sound of his boots as he climbed the stairs.


	49. Choices

**So, after my calling for suggestions/ideas/requests last chapter, I had several people ask for Ziva's reaction to Tony Jr's deployment, and hence, this chapter was born. Personally, I imagine there'd be plenty of these 'moments' for her, but I was hoping to capture just one of them.**

**As always, read, enjoy, and review! (: **

**Choices**

" Ziva? You home?"

There was silence in the house as Tony shut the front door behind him, the click of the lock echoing in the hallway.

" Sweet-cheeks?"

Nothing. He kicked off his shoes, ditched his gym bag at the door to the laundry room, and peered into the kitchen; empty. After checking each room, and finding no hint of his wife, he climbed the stairs, and silently peered into the master bedroom.

Ziva was sat cross-legged on the bed, in a pair of sweats and one of his tees, hair falling loosely about her shoulders, still damp from showering. In front of her was a large spread of photographs, and it became obvious to Tony that his wife was silently crying, fingers pressed to her lips as she took in memories in front of her.

" Zi?"

His voice startled her, and she quickly attempted to regain some composure, dabbing furiously at her eyes, and gathering the photos into a hasty pile.

" I-I didn't hear you get home."

Tony was silent, leaning on the door frame, arms folded, and eyes fixed on her. Ziva glanced at him, before waving a hand at the pictures sprawled on the bed.

" I was looking for a towel, at the back of the closet. The photo wallet fell out and...and I couldn't help myself..."

She stopped herself, another tear or two finding their way down her cheeks, and laughed meekly.

" Sorry. Just having... a moment."

Tony smiled softly, crossing the room to sit and join her on the bed. Ziva instantly shuffled to him, her back pressed against his chest, and rested her head on his shoulder, as broad arms encircled her, and soft lips brushed her cheek.

" A moment, hm?"

She gestured to the photos, and as Tony looked, her mood became much clearer. An infant Tony Junior, with a wide gummy smile, reaching for his mother; Tony, asleep on his father's chest, passed out in front of the TV; Ziva and the baby, laughing together, as she cradled him. A sudden swell of nostalgia hit Tony like a truck, and a deft chuckle left his lips.

" It's been a long time since he was that size. Remember the days when he couldn't talk back?"

Ziva laughed gently, wiping at her cheeks.

" Of course I do. I remember it all. Particularly that one incident that involved him peeing down your shirt..."

Tony scrunched his nose up in disgust, making his wife laugh all the more.

" How could I forget?" He brushed several of the photos aside with one hand, looking at those below. " He was such a happy baby. Look how young we look! Not a single grey hair for me! I told you it was the kids that did it."

They both laughed, before falling silent, Ziva gently shuffling through several more of the photos, lips pressed together. Tony, sensing her mood shift and tension, leant down to nuzzle at her neck, leaving a soft trail of kisses.

" What's bothering you, sweetheart?"

His wife let out a sigh, leaning further into him, and titled her head to look at him, eyes swimming with unspoken words, and emotion.

" I thought we worked... to make this world a safer place to live. To keep our children safe, and out of harm's way, to try and put a stop to at least some of the monsters prowling the streets out there."

Tony nodded, thumbs drawing circles on her stomach, staying silent to let her continue.

" So why..."

She looked back down at the photographs, throat clenching, and struggling to finish.

" So why is my baby... my own _son_... flying half way across the world to fight in a war, when he has every opportunity to stay here, with his family, go to college, live a normal life? Didn't we do enough? Didn't we always work to keep them safe, to take the, the...the swak, so they could live a peaceful, happy life, free from violence and bloodshed?"

" Flak, Zee-vah. The word you're looking for is flak. Although some of us did take a swak..." He shivered at the memory. "As for you and I, we've taken plenty of it. Haven't they grown up knowing a stable, loving home? More than your or I could say we had."

" That is not my point, Tony." She gave him a pointed look, descending into a rant. "We agreed when we married that we'd give them that. No, this different. Have we forced him into this? By being agents, by having the forces in our lives? Does he feel he has to do this, to prove himself? Or is it to be 'cool'? So he can have a gun? He could be a cop. He could work for NCIS. He could work for the CI-"

" Don't you dare say CIA." Tony glowered at her, catching her hand. " After Trent Kort, and let's not forget, C-I-Ray himself, I'd have to disown him. I think you're over thinking this." He brought her hand to his lips, before Ziva snatched it away, giving him a disbelieving look.

" _Overthinking _this? Tony, our son is going to WAR. Abroad. With the Marines. Fighting against whoever, real combat..._harah_...What if something happens. To him? He's thousands of miles away from home. What if...what if the worst happens? What if he becomes another body on Palmer's table?"

" Then they will bring him home, to us, here, with full colours. He will have died protecting his family, friends and his country. And if he ends up at NCIS, then he is in the best of hands..."

" You make it sound so simple. Men, you don't understand. I'm his mother. He might be a man, and a soldier, to you, but to me..." She tapped the nearest photo of him with her free hand. " He's still that baby."

Tony laughed, earning him another dirty look from his wife, who pulled away from him.

" I fail to see how this is funny in the slightest."

" Ziva..." He reached down, and retrieved his wallet from his pocket, expertly sifting past the credit cards and business cards, until he pulled a small wad of photos from a a tucked away nook. Ziva peered over, as he shuffled through them, before picking one out, and holding it in front of her. On it, a rather more youthful looking Tony, still slightly red-eyed, with his arm around a tired, but beaming Ziva, holding a tiny, wide-eyed baby. Ziva couldn't help but smile, and gave her husband a somewhat apologetic guilty look. Tony smirked, looking at the picture himself, smirk fading to a wider smile, before he shuffled it back into the pile

" Everyday, I could swear this was yesterday. I sometimes find myself wondering who the tall young man making a sandwich in the kitchen and winding his sister up, is. I keep expecting to find that chubby infant, or the little boy who wants to play ball, or even the grouchy teenager, raiding the fridge and speaking in grunts. But he's grown now Ziva. Grown into a very handsome, very intelligent, witty young man." He gave his wife a gentle poke, kissing her forehead. " We did good, hon. We gave him a home where he could make whatever choice he wanted, and gave him the best start we could. Now, this is his choice, this is what he wants to do with himself. We both know he'll be an outstanding Marine. It's our job now to stand behind him, instead of beside him, support him, love him, and look on proudly.

Ziva leant into him, resting her head on his chest, gently twirling a strand of her hair.

" I am proud, Tony. Very proud, of all three of them. I know he'll be brilliant... I just want him to come home. He has so much still ahead of him. Finding the right girl, getting married, having children..."

Tony scoffed, wrapping his arms around her once more, and pulling her into his lap fully.

" Give the boy a little time. He has years to do all that, let him have a little fun first. He and Gibbs can 'oorah' til the day is done. Next thing we know, Tony'll be building a boat in the basement, and running on coffee."

Ziva rolled her eyes, digging an elbow into her husband's ribs, earning her a pained grunt.

" There will be no boat-building in this basement, we are not encouraging that. He can get his own house if he wishes to do so. One Gibbs is quite enough, thank you very much. No, he can come home, and 'oorah' as much as he wants. As long as he's home."

" What happened to my wild, fearless, kimbo-slicing, trained assasin Ziva David?"

Tony tickled her side, nipping at her neck softly. Ziva squirmed, but laughed, tapping his lips with a finger.

" She fell in love, and became a mother. She's still here just...dormant, for now. Soon to be awoken, the next time Dornegett bumps into me with a hot coffee..."

Tony snorted with laughter, the mental images of his wife's revenge on the hapless agent providing golden entertainment.

" Ah, my fiesty little ninja, you've been that way since day one."

Ziva shot him a teasing grin.

" You mean when I walked in to you having daydreams about Kate, in a Catholic school girl's uniforms?"

Tony visibly flushed, ears going red, before returning her grin.

" I was talking more about... 'under covers' mission. Covert ops."

Ziva laughed, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck, taking on a rather sultry air, as she placed her legs on either side of his..

" Ah, but of course~ How could I even think of forgetting? And to think, we were having so much fun until Gibbs and Jenny gatecrashed our little party."

" Were we? I think, personally, I need reminding, it was such a long time ago..."

Ziva giggled softly as he pulled her in for a kiss, soft lips pulling at hers, 5 o'clock shadow gently scraping against her chin. Her fingers weaved into his hair, as he hands found her hips, softly caressing. God, she could get lost in those lips. Suddenly, she was back in that hotel room, so many years ago, before children, before marriage, still wild from her days in Israel, Tony, naked above her - until the slam of the front door, and bickering between Abi and Tim brought her crashing back to earth, and caused both of them to pull apart with a sigh. Tony let out a disgruntled huff, straightening up, and swinging his legs off of the bed.

" Bloody kids."

Ziva laughed softly, leaning over to kiss his cheek gently, before gathering the photos, and heading back towards the closet with them.

" They were our choice, remember?"


End file.
